OF   THK 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


Received 


Accession  No 


.    CLus  No. 


v 

NOT  TO   BE  TAKEN    FROM 

THIS  OFFICE  ft 


THE 


PRAYER  OF  FAITH 


—  BY  — 


UNIVERSITY 


DD  MONTGOMERY 


OR   OF 

FROM    THE  VALE  OF  THOUGHT"   ANI> 
"ZAIDA  EVERSEY  OR  LIFE  Two- FOLD." 


''  Is  any  sick  among  you?  let  him  call  for  the  elders  of 
the  church;  and  let  them  pray  over  him,  anointing  him 
with  oil  in  the  name  of  the  Lord:  And  the  prayer  of 
faith  shall  save  the  sick,  and  the  Lord  shall  raise  him  up; 
and  if  he  have  committed  sins,  they  shall  be  forgiven 
him." — JAMES  V:  14,  15. 


OFFICE  OF  "TRIUMPHS  OF  FAITH" 
BEULAH  MILLS  COLLEGE,  P.  O  ,  ALAMEDA  COUNTY,  CAL. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1880, 

BY   CARRIE    F.    JUDD, 
In  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington,  I).  C. 


PR3SS  OF  THE  HICKS- JUDD  CO., 
SAN    FRANCISCO. 


or 

TTVEF 


THE     SUFFERING    ONES 

WHO  ARE   TOILING  ox  WITH  SCARCE  STRENGTH  TO  LIFT  THEIR 
BURDENS;  AND  TO  THOSE  WHOSE  WORK  HAS  LONG  BEEN 
LAID  ASIDE,  WHO  LIE  ON    BEDS   OF   SICKNESS   IN 
NOISELESS,   DARKENED    ROOMS;   TO  THE 
LOVED  ONES  EVERYWHERE,  WHO 
ARE  WORN  WITH  WEARI- 
NESS AND  PAIN, 

K   HBetricate  t  f)  1 0  2L  1 1 1 1  e  Volume, 

WITH  A  PRAYER  THAT  IT  MAY   BRING  TO  EACH  AND  ALL  WHO 

READ  IT,   THE  FAITH  AND  HOPE  WHICH   WILL  INSPIRE 

THEM    TO    SEEK   FOR   HEALTH   OF   BODY,  AND 

GREATER    STRENGTH   OF   SOUL,   FROM 

CHRIST,  THE  GREAT 


Trv-e 


ER: 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  I. 
MARVELOUS  HEALING  IN  ANSWER  TO  PRAYER      9 

CHAPTER  II. 
THE  POWER  OF  JESUS'  NAME 22 

CHAPTER  III. 
THE  NATURE  OF  FAITH 37 

CHAPTER   IV. 
GOD'S  BLESSED  WILL  FOR  His  CHILDREN..     54 

CHAPTER  V. 
ANOINTING  AND  CONSECRATION 70 

CHAPTER   VI. 
THE  USE  OF  MEDICINE 79 

CHAPTER  VII. 
BELIEVING  GOD'S  WORD 93 


VI  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER   VIII.                      PAGE 
GLORIFYING  GOD 105 

CHAPTER   IX. 
VICTORY  THROUGH  CHRIST 112 

CHAPTER  X. 
PRAYER  AND  FASTING 126 

CHAPTER  XI. 
SERVICE  FOR  THE  MASTER 143 

CHAPTER   XII. 
THE  TRUE  CHURCH  MILITANT.  160 


ii>ljp  "JPragFP  of 


ADDED  NOTES  OF  PRAISE. 

PREFACE  TO  EDITION  OF  1894. 

In  publishing  a  new  edition  of  this  little 
book,  I  find  it  in  my  heart  to  add  a  few  notes 
of  grateful  praise  for  God's  wondrous  keeping 
power  in  my  life  since  He  first  restored  me  to 
health  in  answer  to  the  prayer  of  faith. 

I  can  scarcely  find  words  expressive  enough 
to  describe  the  remarkable  degree  of  strength 
which  has  been  vouchsafed  to  me  by  my 
blessed  Healer  during  all  these  years.  My 
exceedingly  delicate  constitution  has  seemed 
to  be  changed  to  one  of  iron,  so  that  I  have  en~ 
dured  the  most  arduous  and  continuous  labors 
without  exhaustion.  Especially  has  this  won- 
drous strength  been  noticeable  in  the  severe 
test  which  has  been  brought  to  bear  upon  my 
nerves  in  the  constant  pressure  of  brain  work 
which  has  been  necessitated  by  my  immense 
correspondence  with  the  sick,  my  editorial 
duties  in  connection  with  publishing  my 
monthly  Journal,  Triumphs  of  Faith,  and  the 


X  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

very  great  call  for  sympathy  in  all  the  cases  of 
sickness  and  suffering  which  are  continually 
brought  to  my  notice.  I  have  been  entirely 
relieved  from  the  slightest  tendency  to  the 
awful  headaches  with  which  I  constantly  suf- 
fered before  and  during  my  prolonged  illness 
so  that  after  a  hard  day  of  intellectual  labor 
I  have  not  even  experienced  the  slightest  brain 
weariness.  All  this  has  been  the  effect,  I  am 
fully  persuaded,  of  the  blessed  indwelling  of 
the  Spirit  of  Life,  who  has  quickened  rny. 
mortal  body,  and  made  it  His  temple.  (Rom. 


Sometimes,  when  there  has  been  a  little 
turning  aside,  a  little  failure  to  hearken  and 
obey  the  dear  Holy  Spirit,  there  has  been  a 
temporary  failure  of  this  marvelous  strength, 
but  the  quick  confession  and  restoration  of 
perfect  communion  through  the  blood  of  Jesus, 
has  brought  again  the  flow  of  His  healing  life. 

Since  writing  this  little  book,  many  changes 
have  come  into  my  life,  chief  among  these  my 
marriage  with  my  dear  husband,  and  removal 
of  my  work  from  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  to  his  home 


ADDED    NOTES    OF    PRAISE.  XF 

in  California.  My  dear  husband  is  perfectly- 
one  with  me  in  all  my  work  for  the  blessed 
Master,  and  together  we  have  proved  the 
truth  of  the  text,  that  though  "one  chase  a 
thousand,"  "two  shall  put  ten  thousand  to 
flight." 

I  add  to  this  testimony  a  little  account 
which  my  husband  has  written  of  his  conver- 
sion, and  marvelous  healing  of  Diabetes,  in 
answer  to  the  prayer  of  faith.  God  has  given 
us  a  little  daughter,  Faith  Judd  Montgomery, 
who  was  also  suddenly  healed  by  the  Great 
Physician  when  apparently  at  the  point  of 
death.  We  cannot  find  words  to  praise  God 
for  His  bountiful  goodness  and  mercy. 

My  Home  of  Peace,  a  continuation  of  my 
Faith  Rest,  which  I  had  for  several  years  in 
Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  is  now  located  at  Beulah, 
Alameda  County,  Cal.  Beulah  is  not  yet  to 
be  found  on  the  map,  as  it  is  a  little  temper- 
ance town  which  my  husband  and  I  are  start- 
ing on  consecrated  ground,  and  so  far  it  is 
composed  wholly  of  Christians.  It  is  situated 
among  the  beautiful  hills  of  Laundry  Farm, 


XII  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

not  far  from  Mills  College,  and  five  miles 
from  Oakland,  and  can  be  reached  by  the 
California  Railway  which  connects  at  Fruit- 
vale  with  Oakland  local  trains.  We  are  al- 
ways glad  to  have  friends  visit  the  work  on 
Friday,  which  is  my  day  at  home. 

Since  this  book  \vas  written,  we  have  seen 
God's  power  manifested  in  the  healing  of  hun- 
dreds who  have  been  past  all  human  aid,  and 
we  have  seen  these  restored  lives  laid  joyfully 
upon  the  altar,  and  used  wondrously  in  God's 
service.  How  full  of  blessing  are  our  lives 
when  we  do  not  limit  the  Holy  One  of  Israel 
by  our  unbelief. 

In  closing,  we  would  also  praise  God  for  the 
great  good  which  He  has  been  pleased  to 
accomplish  through  this  little  book,  not  only 
here  in  America,  but  also  in  its  English,  Ger- 
man, French,  Swedish,  and  Dutch  editions. 
As  we  send  out  this  new  American  edition, 
making  it  lower  in  price  than  ever  before,  in 
order  to  reach  the  greater  number,  will  not 
our  friends  join  us  in  the  prayer  that  our  Sav- 
iour's blessing  may  continue  to  rest  upon  it, 


ADDED    NOTES    OF    PRAISE.  XIII 

and  that  a  great  multitude  may  find  health  of 
soul  and  health  of  body  through  its  humble 
little  messages  ? 

Yours  "  All  for  Jesus," 

CARRIE  JUDD  MONTGOMERY, 
Beulah,  Mills  College  P.  O., 

Alameda  Co.,  Cal. 


WHAT  HATH  GOD  WROUGHT! 

BY  GEO.  S.  MONTGOMERY. 

Nearly  four  years  ago   I  left  San  Francisco 
to  go  to  Japan  on  a  pleasure  trip  and  for  the 
sake  of  my  health.     Previous  to  this  time  my 
life  had  been  one  continued  round  of  worldly 
business  and  pleasure.     I  lived  for  self  alone, 
with  but  one  aim,  which  was  to   enjoy   myself 
as  thoroughly  as  possible.     It  causes  me  great 
pain,    even  now,  to  review  those  wasted  years. 
God  often  spoke  to  me  by   His  Spirit,    but   in 
order  to  drown  His  pleading  voice,  I  plunged 
still  deeper  into  folly  and  sin.     Finally,  while 
on   my  voyage   to  Japan,  alone   in   my    state- 
room,  separated    from    all    my    worldly    com- 
panions, the  Spirit  of  God  came   to   me  once 
again.     It    was    made   very   clear   to   me  that 
God  was  calling  for  the  last  time;   that  He  was 
saying,  "  My  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with 
man.     If  you  do   not  yield  now,  I  shall  never 
come  again.'       I  fell  down  upon  my  knees   in 
my    state-room,    confessing    my   sins    and   my 


THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH.  XV 

need  of  a  Saviour's  pardoning  love.  He 
brought  to  my  mind,  John  iii:  16,  a  verse 
which  I  must  have  learned  as  a  boy  at  my 
mother's  knee:  "For  God  so  loved  the 
world  that  He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son, 
that  whosoever  believeth  in  Him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  The  word 
whosoever  was  illumined  by  God's  Spirit,  and 
I  realized  that  it  meant  me.  The  word  be- 
lieveth also  stood  out  with  sweet,  new  mean- 
ing, and  I  saw  that  I  had  nothing  to  do  but  to 
believe  on  Him  who  had  wrought  out  my 
redemption  on  the  Cross  of  Calvary.  I  be- 
lieved then  and  there  that  God  gave  me  the 
gift  of  everlasting  life  through  Jesus  Christ 
His  Son.  I  realized  the  terrible  danger  which 
my  soul  had  been  in,  and  when  I  reflected 
that  I  might  have  been  lost  forever,  had  I  not 
yielded  to  the  Spirit's  final  call,  I  trembled 
and  great  drops  of  perspiration  stood  upon  my 
brow.  From  that  day  I  have  had  perfect 
peace  in  my  soul,  and  my  one  aim  has  been 
to  live  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  to  win  pre- 
cious souls  for  Him. 


XVI  WHAT    HATH    GOD    WROUGHT! 

For  several  years  I  had  suffered  greatly  from 
ill-health,  and  had  continually  traveled  and 
consulted  with  physicians  hoping  to  find  some 
remedy.  My  constitution  had  been  com- 
pletely broken  through  fevers  contracted  in 
Mexico,  and  my  life  of  fashionable  dissipation 
had  added  to  my  physical  troubles,  until  at 
last  I  was  beyond  all  human  hope  with  Dia- 
betes. I  tried  all  kinds  of  remedies  but  to  no 
avail.  I  felt  a  little  benefited  during  my  trip 
to  Japan,  but  after  my  return  grew  worse,  and 
the  doctors  told  me  I  had  but  a  short  time  to 
live.  I  was  quite  resigned  to  die,  because  I 
was  resting  in  the  finished  work  of  Christ.  I 
did  not  know  anything  about  Divine  Healing 
until  one  of  my  physicians  in  San  Francisco 
came  to  me  and  related  some  marvelous  cures 
which  had  taken  place  among  some  of  his 
patients,  in  answer  to  prayer.  This  physician 
was  a  Christian,  and  he  was  convinced  that  it 
must  be  the  hand  of  God  which  had  healed 
these  people,  because  they  were  past  all 
human  power.  Among  others,  his  wife  and 
sister  had  been  healed.  I  did  not  believe  very 


THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH.  XVII 

much,  for  I  thought  that  the  days  of  miracles 
were  past.  But  he  came  again,  and  brought 
many  passages  of  Scripture  which  bore  upon 
the  subject,  and  asked  me  to  look  them  up  and 
read  them  for  myself.  I  had  thought  that  the 
Doctor  was  being  carried  away  with  some 
"strange  doctrine,"  like  Christian  Science  or. 
Spiritualism  (which,  I  am  convinced,  are  both 
of  the  Devil)  but  when  he  gave  me  these 
Scripture  texts,  I  saw  for  myself  that  God  has 
promised  to  be  the  Physician  of  His  people, 
if  they  will  trust  Him.  I  read  such  texts  as, 
Ex.  xv:  26;  Ex.  xxiii:  25;  Deut.  vii:  15;  Jas. 
v:  14,  15;  Mark  xi:  24,  and  many  others,  dili- 
gently comparing  Scripture  with  Scripture, 
asking  the  Holy  Spirit  to  be  my  Teacher  and 
show  me  what  these  texts  meant.  The  light 
began  to  dawn  upon  me,  and  I  saw  that  I  had  no 
more  foundation  in  God's  Word  for  the  salva- 
tion of  my  soul,  than  I  had  for  the  healing  of 
my  body.  I  saw  that  it  was  unbelief  which 
kept  God's  children  from  accepting  this  bless- 
ing which  He  was  so  willing  to  bestow  upon 
them.  I  knew  that  "  Faith  cometh  by  hear- 


XVIII  WHAT    HATH    GOD    WROUGHT1. 

ing,  and   hearing   by  the   Word  of  God,"  so  I 
studied  God's  Word  more  and  more  and   faith 
increased  accordingly.     I   also  attended  some 
meetings    on    this    subject,    which    were   then 
being  held  by  Rev.  J.  A.   Dowie   in   Oakland, 
and  I  heard  remarkable  testimonies  from  many 
who  had  been  healed  of  incurable  diseases   in 
answer  to  prayer.      My  faith  continued   to    in- 
crease   and    I    realized    that    Jesus    Christ    is 
"the  same  yesterday  and  to-day  and  forever.'3 
Finally,  prayer  was  offered  for  and   with   me, 
and,  as   we  are  commanded  to  do  in  Mark  xi: 
24,    I    believed   then   and  there  that  I  did  re- 
ceive.     I   had   no  special  manifestation  at  the 
time,   but   believed  that   I    was   made  "every 
whit  whole  "  by  the  power  of  God.     The  next 
morning  I  realized  the  new  life  which  had  been 
imparted,  and  felt  as  though  I   could  run  like 
a  boy,  although  before  this  I  had  been  scarcely 
able  to  walk  up  the  stairs.     I  had  been  living 
on     diet    recommended    by    my    physicians, 
which  contained  no  starch  or  sugar,   but  now  I 
began  to  eat  everything,  taking  God's  blessing 
upon  it,  and   knowing  that   it  made  no  differ- 


THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH.  XIX 

ence    what    I    ate,  because    I   was  every  whit 
made  whole. 

Health  and  {strength  returned,  and  I  was 
not  only  healed  of  Diabetes,  but  also  of 
chronic  rheumatism,  which  had  troubled  me 
for  many  years  and  had  greatly  crippled  me  at 
times.  My  nervous  system  which  had  been 
completely  shattered  was  restored.  My  life  is 
now  one  continued  psalm  of  praise. 

"  I  have  learned  the  wondrous  secret, 
Of  abiding  in  the  Lord: 
I  have  found  the  strength  and  sweetness 
Of  confiding  in  His  word; 
I  have  tasted  Life's  pure  fountain, 
I  am  drinking  of  His  blood, 
I  have  lost  myself  in  Jesus, 
I  am  sinking  into  God. 

"  All  my  sicknesses  I  bring  Him, 
And  He  bears  them  all  away; 
All  my  fears  and  griefs  I  tell  Him, 
All  my  cares  from  day  to  day, 
All  my  strength  I  draw  from  Jesus, 
By  His  breath  I  live  and  move; 
E'en  His  very  mind  He  gives  me, 
And  His  faith,  and  life,  and  love. 


XX  WHAT    HATH    GOD    WROUGHT! 

"  For  my  words  I  take  His  wisdom, 
For  my  works  His  Spirit's  power, 
For  my  ways  His  ceaseless  Presence, 
Guards  and  guides  me  every  hour, 
Of  my  heart  He  is  the  portion, 
Of  my  joy  the  boundless  spring, 
Saviour,  Sanctifier,  Healer, 
Glorious  Lord  and  coming  King. n 


THE  PRAYER  OF  FAITH. 


CHAPTER    I. 

MARVELOUS    HEALING    IN    ANSWER    TO  PRAYER. 

No,  260  CONNECTICUT  STREET. 

BUFFALO,  N.  Y.,  July  fth,  1880. 

ON  .he  sixth  of  January,  1877,  after  a  grad- 
ual decline  in  health,  I  was  prostrated  with  an 
attack  of  fever,  proceeding  from  my  spine,  the 
result,  probably,  of  a  severe  fall  on  a  stone 
sidewalk  several  months  before.  The  fever  was 
soon  subdued,  but  my  disease  grew  into  settled 
spinal  difficulty,  and  from  the  inflammation  of 
the  spinal  nerves  proceeded  a  most  distressing 
hyper-acuteness,  called  hyperaesthesia.  This 
extended  to  all  my  large  joints ;  and  my  hips, 
knees  and  ankles  could  not  be  touched  even 
by  myself,  on  account  of  their  sensitiveness. 
The  disease  increased  until  the  nerves  in  the 
joints  were  so  unnaturally  alive  that  it  was  as 
if  they  had  been  laid  bare,  and  it  seemed  to 
me  as  though  nothing  less  than  spasms  would 


10  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

be  the  immediate  result  were  they  touched. 
The  vibrating  of  these  sensitive  nerves,  occa- 
sioned by  the  tiniest  jar  or  noise  in  the  room, 
was  something  indescribably  dreadful. 

For  all  but  the  first  two  months  of  my  ill- 
ness, extreme  helplessness  as  well  as  suffering 
made  my  lot  almost  unendurable.  For  more 
than  two  years,  turning  over  alone  or  moving 
myself  a  particle  in  bed  was  simply  an  im- 
possibility. Every  move  was  made  for  me 
with  the  greatest  care.  I  suffered  intensely 
with  my  head ;  the  violent,  tearing  pain,  the 
terrible  sense  of  weight,  and  the  extreme  sen- 
sitiveness made  a  soft,  small  pillow  feel  like  a 
block  of  stone,  the  pressure  of  which  was 
crushing  my  brain  to  atoms.  Much  of  the 
time  we  were  obliged  to  exclude  from  the 
room  all  excepting  those  who  had  the  care  of 
me. 

For  eleven  months  I  could  not  sit  up  at  all, 
but  in  the  spring  of  1878  improved  slowly, 
and  could  be  lifted  into  a  chair  for  a  little 
while  each  day.  I  was  more  comfortable 
until  July,  but  I  could  not  by  my  greatest 
exertions  get  able  to  help  myself  at  all.  The 


INTRODUCTORY.  I  i 

only  way  in  which  I  could  be  moved  from 
the  bed  to  the  chair,  was  by  being  lifted  un- 
der my  arms,  as  I  could  endure  no  pressure 
on  my  spine. 

The  very  warm  weather  at  that  time,  and 
my  making  attempts  to  help  myself  when  in 
such  a  weak  condition,  caused  a  sudden  and 
violent  relapse,  and,  in  spite  of  everything 
that  could  be  done  for  me,  I  continued  to 
fail.  I  rallied  a  little  in  the  autumn,  but 
only  temporarily. 

In  January,  1879,  my  mother's  mother,  who 
had  lived  with  us  for  years  and  who  was 
very  dear  to  me,  died  at  our  house,  after  a 
short  illness.  I  was  so  low  at  the  time,  that 
there  could  be  no  public  notice  of  her  death, 
and  only  a  few  intimate  friends  were  admitted 
into  our  silent  house. 

By  the  middle  of  February,  my  weakness 
was  so  great  that  most  of  the  time  I  could 
scarcely  speak  in  a  whisper,  and  sometimes 
could  only  move  my  lips.  Often  the  exertion 
of  whispering  one  word  would  cause  the  per- 
spiration to  start  profusely;  and  I  would  lie 
for  hours  needing  something  rather  than  ask 


12  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

for  it.  I  could  take  no  solid  food,  whatever, 
and  it  exhausted  me  greatly  to  swallow  even 
liquid  food. 

My  disease  had  grown  into  blood  consump- 
tion ;  I  was  emaciated  to  a  shadow,  and  my 
largest  veins  looked  like  mere  threads.  Noth- 
ing could  keep  me  warm,  and  the  chill  of 
death  seemed  upon  me.  A  great  part  of  the 
time  I  lay  gasping  faintly  for  breath,  and  I 
suffered  excruciatingly.  Even  the  weight  of 
my  arms  and  limbs  seemed  to  be  almost  un- 
endurable, and  this  terrible  strain  was  con- 
stant. My  pulse  could  scarcely  be  found,  and 
I  was  not  expected  to  live  from  one  day  to 
the  next.  Everything  that  the  most  skillful 
physicians  could  do  for  me,  had  been  done ; 
only  the  "Great  Physician"  could  restore  me 
by  His  almighty  power.  I  have  no  doubt  that 
it  was  ordered  by  Providence,  that,  just  at  this 
time,  there  should  appear  in  the  daily  paper  a 
short  account  of  the  wonderful  cures  per- 
formed in  answer  to  the  prayers  of  Mrs.  Ed- 
ward Mix,  a  colored  lady,  of  Wolcottville, 
Conn.  The  article  represented  her  as  an 
earnest,  humble  Christian,  who  simply  pro- 


INTRODUCTORY.  13 

t'essed  to  be  doing  God's  work.  She  had,  her- 
self, been  cured  after  years  of  ill  health,  by 
the  prayers  and  laying  on  of  hands  of  a  Rev. 
Mr.  Allen,  of  Springfield.  Mother  mentioned 
these  facts  to  me,  and  the  more  I  thought  on 
the  subject,  the  more  I  felt  that  a  letter  must 
be  written  her  in  regard  to  my  own  case.  I 
had  often  heard  of  faith-cures  before  this,  and 
there  had  been  read  to  me  some  portions  of 
W.  W,  Patton's  book,  "  Remarkable  Answers 
to  Prayer,"  but,  although  not  discrediting 
them,  none  had  ever  produced  so  great  an 
impression  on  my  mind  as  this  short  account 
of  Mrs.  Mix.  I  waited  a  few  hours,  then 
requested  my  sister  to  write  her  that  I  be- 
lieved her  great  faith  might  avail  for  me,  if 
she  would  pray  for  my  recovery,  even  if 
she  were  not  present  to  lay  her  hands  upon 
me.  On  Tuesday,  February  25th,  her  answer 
came  as  follows : 

WOLCOTTVILLE,  CONN.,  February  241/1,  1879. 
Miss  CARRIE  JUDD: 

I   received    a   line    from    your    sister    Eva, 
stating  your  case,  your  disease  and  your  faith. 


14,  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

I  can  encourage  you,  by  the  Word  of  God. 
that  "according  to  your  faith"  so  be  it  unto 
you;  and  besides  you  have  this  promise,  "The 
prayer  of  faith  shall  save  the  sick,  and  the 
Lord  shall  raise  him  up."  Whether  the  per- 
son is  present  or  absent,  if  it  is  a  "prayer  of 
faith"  it  is  all  the  same,  and  God  has  promised 
to  raise  up  the  sick  ones,  and  if  they  have 
committed  sins  to  forgive  them.  Now  this 
promise  is  to  you,  as  if  you  were  the  only  per- 
son living.  Now  if  you  can  claim  that  prom- 
ise, I  have  not  the  least  doubt  but  what  you 
will  be  healed.  You  will  first  have  to  lav 

j 

aside  all  medicine  of  every  description.  Use 
no  remedies  of  any  kind  for  anything.  Lay 
aside  trusting  in  the  "arm  of  flesh,"  and  lean 
wholly  upon  God  and  His  promises.  When 
you  receive  this  letter  I  want  you  to  begin  to 
pray  for  faith,  and  Wednesday  afternoon  the 
female  prayer-meeting  is  at  our  house.  We 
will  make  you  a  subject  of  prayer,  between 
the  hours  of  three  and  four.  I  want  you  to 
pray  for  yourself,  and  pray  believing  and  then 
act  faith.  It  makes  no  difference  how  you 
feel,  but  get  right  out  of  bed  and  begin  to 


INTRODUCTORY.  1.5 

walk  by  faith.  Strength  will  come,  disease 
will  depart  and  you  will  be  made  whole.  We 
read  in  the  Gospel,  "Thy  faith  hath  made  thee 
whole."  Write  soon. 

Yours  in  faith, 

MRS.  EDWARD  Mix. 

Is  it:  any  wonder  that  in  my  titter  weakness^ 
my  confirmed  helplessness,  and,  above  all,  my 
lack  of  faith,  that  I  was  tempted  to  smile 
unbelievingly  at  the  words  "  get  right  out  of 
bed  and  begin  to  walk  by  faith"?  My  con- 
science reproved  me  for  my  unbelief,  and  I 
began  to  pray  for  an  increase  of  faith.  I  left 
off  all  medicine  at  once,  though  I  confess  it 
was  with  a  struggle,  for  I  was  very  dependent 
upon  it  for  temporary  alleviation  of  my  ex- 
treme suffering.  At  the  hour  appointed  by 
Mrs.  Mix,  members  of  our  own  family  also 
offered  up  prayer,  though  not  in  my  room. 
Just  before  this,  I  seemed  to  have  no  power, 
whatever,  to  grasp  the  promise.  Terrible, 
darkness  and  powerful  temptations  from  Satan 
rose  to  obscure  even  the  little  faith  I  had, 
but,  suddenly,  my  soul  was  filled  with  a  child- 
like peace  and  confidence,  different  from  any- 
thing I  had  ever  before  experienced. 


l6  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

There  was  no  excitement,  but,  without  the 
least  fear  or  hesitation,  I  turned  over  and 
raised  up  alone,  for  the  first  time  in  over  two 
years.  My  nurse,  Mrs.  H.,  who  had  taken 
care  of  me  for  nearly  a  year,  was  greatly 
affected,  and  began  praising  God  for  His 
wonderful  power  and  mercy. 

Directly  after,  with  a  little  support  from 
my  nurse,  I  walked  a  few  steps  to  my  chair. 
During  that  same  hour,  a  decided  change  was 
perceptible  in  my  color,  circulation  and  pulse, 
and  I  could  talk  aloud  with  ease.  Referring 
to  my  diary,  which  was  kept  by  Mrs.  H.,  I  find 
under  February  27th,  which  was  the  day  after 
my  restoration  :  "  Carrie  moved  herself  in  bed 
several  times  during  the  night.  This  after- 
noon she  walked  from  her  chair  to  the  bed,  a 
distance  of  about  eight  feet,  by  taking  hold  of 
my  arms.  The  Lord  strengthens  her  every 
hour,  both  physically  and  in  faith.  Blessed 
be  His  holy  Name  !  '  Then,  under  February 
28th:  "Carrie  grows  stronger,  moves  herself 
more  easily,  rests  better  nights,  has  a  good 
appetite.  I  gave  her  a  sponge-bath  this  after- 
noon, and  I  could  not  but  notice  the  change 


INTRODUCTORY.  17 

in  the  color  of  her  flesh ;  instead  of  the  yellow, 
dead  look,  it  is  pink  and  full  of  life."  Under 
March  ist:  'This  morning  she  drew  on  her 
stockings."  March  2d :  "Her  chest  and 
lungs  have  been  strong;  she  has  talked  aloud 
a  great  deal.  Appetite  good;  color  fresh  and 
clear." 

In  about  three  weeks  I  could  walk  around 
the  room  without  even  having  any  one  near 
me  ;  in  four  weeks  I  walked  down  stairs  with 
a  little  assistance  ;  I  walked  very  steadily  from 
the  first,  and  my  joints,  which  had  been  so 
weakened  by  the  hyperassthesia,  grew  strong 
and  firm  at  once.  My  muscles  filled  out  very 
rapidly,  but  I  suffered  nothing  from  aching  or 
lameness,  even  after  I  commenced  going  up 
and  down  stairs. 

The  first  pleasant  day  in  April  I  went  out 
of  doors  and  into  a  neighbor's.  It  seemed  as 
though  it  was  almost  too  much  joy  to  compre- 
hend, to  really  be  out  in  the  air  and  sunshine 
once  more.  I  looked  up  at  the  windows  of 
my  room  with  a  vague  idea  that  there  must 
be  imprisoned  there  still,  a  prostrate,  suffering 
creature,  of  whom  I  had  once  been  a  part, 


l8  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

but  now  was  freed  from  by  some  mysterious 
process.  The  thought  of  my  long  and  terrible 
suffering,  and  of  my  sudden  and  joyful  deliver- 
ance, almost  overwhelms  me  now  as  I  review 
it  all  so  minutely. 

I  will  mention  here,  that  it  was  especially 
noticeable,  during  my  healing,  that  whenever 
I  made  any  extra  exertion  of  my  own,  sud- 
denly, and  without  the  least  apparent  cause, 
my  strength  would  fail  me.  It  was  soon 
revealed  to  me,  that  I  was  simply  to  look  to 
the  Lord  for  improvement ;  that  as  He  had 
begun  the  work,  He  would  carry  it  on  without 
any  strivings  on  my  part. 

The  more  fully  I  cast  myself  upon  Him,  the 
more  I  was  supported,  and  often  I  felt  borne 
up  as  if  by  some  buoyancy  in  the  air,  while 
there  was  little  or  no  effort  of  my  own.  Even 
more  wonderful,  and  infinitely  more  precious, 
than  being  brought  from  death  unto  life,  phy- 
sically, is  the  renewed  life  which  the  soul 
experiences  at  the  same  time  under  the  heal- 
ing influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  A  deep, 
intense  love  for  God  is  implanted  in  the 
heart,  worldly  desires  and  ambitions  sink  into 


INTRODUCTORY.  19 

nothingness,  the  one  absorbing  thought  is  to 
be  conformed  more  and  more  to  the  image  of 
Christ,  and  the  forgiveness  of  sins  promised 
with  the  healing  in  James  v:  14,  15,  is  ex- 
perienced as  never  before. 

My  gain  in  flesh  and  strength  was  rapid, 
and  my  friends  say  that  I  am  now  looking 
better  than  ever  before.  The  trouble  in  my 
head,  which  was  almost  constant  for  a  long 
time  before  my  prostration,  entirely  disap- 
peared when  I  was  cured,  and  I  can  do  a  vast 
amount  of  studying  and  writing  without  even 
a  slight  headache.  I  can  also  take  very  long 
walks  and  enjoy  them. 

I  wish  to  add  that  Dr.  Charles  Cullis,  of 
Boston,  Mass.,  whose  faith-works  and  faith- 
cures  are  so  widely  known,  kindly  added  his 
prayers  for  my  complete  recovery. 

All  glory  be  to  our  merciful  and  loving 
Redeemer !  and  that  I  may  ever  abide  in  Him, 
and  bring  forth  the  "fruit  of  the  Spirit,"  is 
the  daily  prayer  of  my  life. 

CARRIE  F.  JUDD. 


20  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

With  my  kind  pastor's  permission  I  publish 
the  following  letter ;  his  reply  to  one  which  I 
received  from  a  stranger : 

No.  790  SEVENTH  STREET, 
BUFFALO,  N.  Y.,  March  ijth,  1880. 

DEAR  SIR:  Miss  Judd  has  shown  me  your 
favor  of  the  nth  inst.,  and  requests  me  to 
vouch  for  her  entire  credibility. 

I  do  this  with  great  pleasure,  the  more  so 
that  I  have  known  her  so  long,  and  have  been 
entirely  conversant  with  all  the  facts  in  the 
case,  from  the  beginning.  I  can  assure  you 
of  her  long  and  painful  illness,  of  her  utter 
and  complete  prostration,  of  the  immediate 
expectation  of  death  by  herself  and  all  her 
friends ;  during  all  those  months  I  ministered 
at  her  bedside,  and  saw  her  draw  nearer  and 
nearer  to  the  end. 

But  suddenly,  and,  of  course,  by  the  inter- 
position of  God,  and  doubtless  in  answer  to 
the  prayers  of  the  Church,  and  of  the  faithful, 
she  was,  so  to  speak,  in  a  day  restored,  and  is 
now  in  perfect  health.  Of  these  facts  I  assure 
you.  They  are  well  known  to  all  here,  and 
you  have  only  to  ask  any  resident  of  Buffalo 


INTRODUCTORY.  21 

to  be  satisfied  of  the  truthfulness  of  all  that 
she  may  tell  you. 

Why  should  it  be  accounted  strange  that 
God  should  raise  one  of  His  children  from 
the  bed  of  death  ?  I  confess  I  see  no  reason. 
His  promise  was  for  all  time,  "  unto  you,  and 
to  your  children,"  and  if  we  gain  less  now,  it 
is  because  we  are  less  faithful,  and  not  because 
His  promise  is  less  sure. 

I  shall  be  glad  to  give  you  any  further 
information  in  my  power,  if  you  desire  it. 

Very  truly, 

C.  F.  A.  BIELBY, 

Rector  St.  Mary's-Church-on-the-Hill  (Episcopal). 

NOTE— Rev.  Mr.  Bielby  is  not  at  present  Rector  of  St.  Mary's 
Church. 


22  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 


CHAPTER    II. 

THE    POWER    OF    JESUS'    NAME. 

I  BELIEVE  that  the  command  comes  to  me, 
as  it  came  to  that  restored  and  rejoicing  man 
so  many  hundred  years  ago  :  "  Go  home  to 
thy  friends  and  tell  them  how  great  things  the 
Lord  hath  done  for  thee,  and  hath  had  com- 
passion on  thee."  -St.  Mark  v:  19.  A  pre- 
cious thought  it  is  to  me,  that,  in  the  strong 
bond  of  fellowship  and  love  which  exists  be- 
tween Christ's  disciples,  I  may  know  you  all 
as  friends.  So  home  to  each  one  of  you  I 
would  come,  with  the  peculiar  tenderness  and 
sympathy  which  suffering  draws  forth  from 
those  who  have  suffered  likewise,  and  I  long 
to  speak  words  of  comfort,  which  will  assure 
you  that  there  is  "balm  in  Gilead,"  and  a 
"  Physician  there." 

It  is  with  this  end  in  view  that  I  have  re- 
lated, in  the  foregoing  chapter,  my  experience 
of  the  Divine  healing  power,  which  has  given 
me  renewed  life,  spiritual  and  physical. 


THE    POWER    OF    JESUS     NAME.  2j 

How  strange  and  sad  it  is  that  when  the 
Bible  abounds  in  such  rich  promises  for  sup- 
plying the  need  both  of  soul  and  body,  that 
we  should  be  languishing  in  either.  Let  us 
together,  earnestly  and  prayerfully,  search 
God's  Word,  and  by  its  light  dispel  the  mists 
of  unbelief,  which  prevent  our  seeing  clearly 
the  blessings  which  are  only  awaiting  our 
grasp  of  faith. 

We  are  not  apt  to  accept  the  Bible  as  liter- 
ally as  v/e  ought.  We  get  into  a  dangerous 
habit  of  considering  its  exhortations  as  in  a 
great  degree  figurative  or  sacredly  poetic,  or 
as  relating  to  past  generations  and  not  to  our 
own.  It  is  no  wonder,  therefore,  if  we  read 
our  Guide  of  Life  in  a  way  so  erroneous,  that 
we  get  into  very  loose  notions  respecting  our 
duties  in  obeying  it. 

If  we  would  accept  every  command  con- 
tained in  the  Bible,  as  a  direct  command  to  us 
from  our  Lord,  and  obey  them  all  as  literally 
as  they  are  intended  to  be  obeyed,  we  should 
find  inestimable  blessings  attending  such  a 
course.  Having  had  light  and  grace  given 
me  to  determine  to  do  this,  I  have  found  that 


14  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

it  is  only  needful  for  me  to  make  the  effort  co 
obey,  and  the  strength  to  do  so  comes  im- 
mediately from  a  higher  source. 

None  of  the  Lord's  injunctions  are  too 
difficult  to  obey,  if  we  make  the  effort  trusting 
in  His  strength,  and  who  of  us,  that  have  kept 
the  Lord's  commandments,  have  not  found 
that  "  in  keeping  of  them  there  is  great  re- 
ward "  ? — Psa.  xix  :  1 1. 

Let  us  look  at  the  literal  command  which 
the  inspired  apostle  gives  concerning  the  sick. 
He  says,  "  Is  any  sick  among  you  ?  let  him 
call  for  the  elders  of  the  church ;  and  let  them 
pray  over  him,  anointing  him  with  oil  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  :  And  the  prayer  of  faith 
shall  save  the  sick,  and  the  Lord  shall  raise 
htm  up;  and  if  he  have  committed  sins,  they 
shall  be  forgiven  him." — James  v:  14,  15. 

This  is  certainly  not  a  grievous  command, 
and  yet  how  willing  we  are  to  go  to  every 
trouble  and  expense  before  following  these 
simple  and  plain  directions.  Have  they 
seemed  to  some  of  us,  as  seemed  the  instruc- 
tions of  Elisha  to  Naaman,  the  leper, — too 
simple  and  easy  to  think  of  obeying?  If  so, 


THE    POWER    OF    JESUS'    NAME.  25 

let  us  remember  the  words  of  Naaman's  ser- 
vants, who  "came  near,  and  spake  unto  him, 
and  said,  My  father,  if  the  prophet  had  bid 
thee  do  some  great  thing,  wouldest  thou  not 
have  done  it?  how  much  rather  then,  when 
he  saith  to  thee,  Wash,  and  be  clean  ?" 

In  St.  Mark  i:  32,  occur  these  words: 
"And  at  even,  when  the  sun  did  set,  they 
brought  unto  Him  all  that  were  diseased;" 
and  again  in  St.  Luke  iv :  40,  we  read  :  "  Now 
when  the  sun  was  setting,  all  they  that  had 
any  sick  with  divers  diseases  brought  them 
unto  Him ;  and  He  laid  His  hands  on  every 
one  of  them,  and  healed  them."  Both  St. 
Mark  and  St.  Luke  allude  in  these  passages 
to  the  fact  of  its  being  evening  and  the  time 
of  the  setting  sun,  and  this  seems  to  figura- 
tively illustrate  the  fact  that  only  in  the  even- 
ing of  human  hope  were  they  willing  to  go  to 
Christ  for  peace  and  healing.  And  why  do 
we  wait  until  the  glare  of  disappointing 
earthly  suns  has  passed  away,  before  we  are 
ready  to  perceive  the  soothing,  lovely  light  of 
the  "  Sun  of  Righteousness,"  which  unto  those 
who  fear  God's  name,  shall  "  arise  with  heal- 
ing in  His  wings." 


26  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

With  the  promise  in  James  so  plain  before 
us,  it  is  strange  and  sad  that  we  should  lan- 
guish so  long  on  beds  of  suffering,  making  no 
effort  to  claim  this  promised  healing;  and 
why  ? — let  us  consider  some  of  the  difficulties 
which  are  shutting  out  so  many  of  us  from  a 
full  enjoyment  of  our  privileges. 

A  great  obstacle  which  meets  us  at  the  out- 
set, is  the  sad  unbelief  of  the  world,  and, 
sadder  still,  of  many  professed  Christians. 
When  the  fainting  hope  of  some  suffering  one 
is  revived  by  a  prayerful  reading  of  the  gra- 
cious promises  in  the  Bible,  that  hope  is  often 
shattered  by  some  friend  who  says  rebuk- 
ingly :  "  O,  you  cannot  be  healed  in  that 
way.  Miracles  long  ago  ceased." 

What  matters  it  to  our  readily  deceived 
hearts,  that  we  can  find  nothing  in  the  Bible 
to  support  this  assertion  ? — we  suppose  that 
the  world  must  be  right  about  it,  and  so  we 
believe  the  word  of  our  fellow-creatures,  and 
make  "  the  Word  of  God  of  none  effect" 
through  these  traditions. — St.  Mark  vii :  13. 

A  great  and  good  man,  who  is  widely 
known  all  over  the  United  States,  wrote  to  a 


THE    POWER    OF    JESUS     NAME.  27 

friend,  concerning  the  subject  of  faith-healing  : 
'  With  the  open  Book  before  me,  I  do  not  see 
why  these  things  cannot  be."  It  is  because 
we  do  not  keep  our  eyes  closely  enough  fixed 
on  our  open  Bibles  that  we  fail  to  "behold 
wondrous  things  out  of  God's  law."  Can 
we  say  with  David :  "  O,  how  I  love  Thy 
law!  it  is  my  meditation  all  the  day"? 

It  is  written  in  Acts  ii :  39,  "  For  the  prom- 
ise is  unto  you,  and  to  your  children,  and 
to  all  that  are  afar  off."  St.  Peter  is  speaking 
of  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  none  who 
have  felt  the  wonderful  power,  which,  in  an- 
swer to  the  "prayer  of  faith,"  gives  healing 
to  soul  and  body,  can  doubt  that  it  is  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  promised  to  all  ages 
and  generations.  There  are  many  who  refuse 
to  give  credence  to  faith-cures,  because,  as 
they  strenuously  assert,  "  the  age  of  miracles 
is  past."  What  authority  they  can  give  for 
this  statement,  remarkable  as  it  is  when  so 
many  miracles,  spiritual  and  physical,  are  be- 
ing performed  by  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  every  day,  we  leave  them  to  tell ;  but 
we  would  press  the  inquiry  upon  them — if 


28  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

these  marvelous  cures  are  not  wrought  by 
God,  by  what  power  are  they  performed  ? 
Some  would  attribute  them  to  "  physical  phe- 
nomena," '  influence  of  mind  over  mind," 
"  faith  co-operating  with  the  faculties  of 
volition,"  etc.,  but  when  we  present  for  their 
investigation,  well-authenticated  cases  where 
cancers,  tumors,  consumption,  and  other  fatal 
diseases  are  cured  in  a  wonderfully  short  time 
in  answer  to  the  "prayer  of  faith,"  when — as 
in  a  case  which  Dr.  Cullis  relates  in  his 
introduction  to  the  book  "  Dorothea  Trudel ' 
— broken  bones  unite  in  less  than  twenty-four 
hours  because  of  a  little  child's  faith,  then 
their  reasons  cannot  seem  plausible  to  the 
most  prejudiced  minds. 

They  must  either  stubbornly  refuse  to  be- 
lieve in  these  cases  of  healing  without  giv- 
ing any  reasons  for  their  unbelief;  or  else 
rightfully  ascribe  them  to  Divine  power;  or 
(and  I  shudder  at  the  thought  of  any  one's 
committing  such  blasphemy)  attribute  them  to 
diabolical  agency. 

There  were  those  who  attributed  to  Satan, 
even  the  miracles  which  Christ  performed 


THE    POWER    OF    JESUS     NAME.  29 

while  on  the  earth.  The  Pharisees  said :  ''This 
fellow  doth  not  cast  out  devils  but  by  Beelze- 
bub, the  prince  of  devils."  Let  us  remember 
Christ's  answer,  and  beware  lest  we  make  any 
approach  to  that  terrible  and  unpardonable 
sin,  which  shall  not  be  forgiven  men  "  neither 
in  this  world,  neither  in  the  world  to  come." 
"  Wherefore  I  say  unto  you  that  all  manner  of 
sin  and  blasphemy  shall  be  forgiven  unto  men : 
but  the  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost 
shall  not  be  forgiven  unto  men."  -St.  Matt, 
xii:  31. 

Immediately  after  this  rebuke  our  Saviour 
adds  :  "  Either  make  the  tree  good  and  his 
fruit  good ;  or  else  make  the  tree  corrupt  and 
his  fruit  corrupt :  for  the  tree  is  known  by  his 
fruit."  Let  us  pause  a  moment  to  ask  what 
fruit  is  brought  forth  in  the  lives  of  those  who 
have  experienced  these  "miracles  of  healing." 

Do  we  see  these  restored  people  rushing 
into  vanity  and  sin,  using  their  renewed  health 
and  strength  in  the  service  of  the  devil  ?  Far 
from  it !  We  see  them  consecrating  every 
power  of  soul  and  body  to  loving,  joyful  ser- 
vice for  their  Lord  and  Master ;  we  see  them 


30  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

a  "peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works," 
desirous  of  following  as  closely  as  possible  the 
footsteps  of  their  Saviour. 

The  man  whose  sight  had  been  restored, 
said  to  the  Pharisees  when  speaking  of  Jesus  : 
"  Why  herein  is  a  marvelous  thing,  that  ye 
know  not  from  whence  He  is,  and  yet  He  hath 
opened  mine  eyes.  Now  we  know  that  God 
heareth  not  sinners :  but  if  any  man  be  a 
worshiper  of  God,  and  doeth  His  will,  him  He 
heareth,"  and  we  may  say  likewise  that  it 
would  indeed  be  a  "  marvelous  thing  "  if  de- 
voted Christians,  who  give  their  lives  entirely 
to  the  Lord,  are  servants  of  the  devil 

Dr.  Charles  Cullis,  through  whose  "  prayer 
of  faith  "  so  many  sufferers  have  been  healed, 
says :  u  I  have  noticed  in  every  case  of  heal- 
ing by  prayer,  as  great  a  blessing  has  come  to 
the  soul  as  to  the  body.  This  has  been  in- 
variable." And  why  should  it  not  be  so, 
when  we  are  told  that  if  the  sick  person  has 
"  committed  sins  they  shall  be  forgiven  him  "  ? 
Whoever  takes  it  upon  himself  to  rebuke 
those  who  perform  miracles  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ,  will  do  well  to  read  our  Saviour's 


THE    POWER    OF    JESUS     NAME.  31 

own  words  on  this  subject:  "And  John  an- 
swered Him,  saying,  Master,  we  saw  one  cast- 
ing out  devils  in  Thy  name,  and  he  followeth 
not  us;  and  we  forbade  him,  because  he  fol- 
loweth not  us.  But  Jesus  said,  Forbid  him 
not,  for  there  is  no  man  which  shall  do  a  mir- 
acle in  My  name,  that  can  lightly  speak  evil 
of  Me.  For  he  that  is  not  against  us  is  on 
our  part." — St.  Mark  ix  :  38-40.  /;/  My  name, 
Christ  says,  and  that  is  the  vast  difference 
between  the  miracles  wrought  by  the  powe-r  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  those  false  wonders  per- 
formed in  the  name  of  the  Virgin  or  at  the 
shrines  of  other  saints. 

St.  Peter,  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  said 
unto  the  "  rulers  of  the  people,  and  elders  of 
Israel,"  "  If  we  this  day  be  examined  of  the 
good  deed  done  to  the  impotent  man,  by  what 
means  he  is  made  whole;  be  it  known  unto 
you  all  *  that  by  the  name  of  Jesus 

Christ  Q{  Nazareth,  Whom  ye  crucified,  Whom 
God  raised  from  the  dead,  even  by  Him  doth 
this  man  stand  here  before  you  whole.  Neither 
is  there  salvation  in  any  other :  for  there  is 
none  other  name  under  Heaven  given  among 


32  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

men  whereby  we  must  be  saved." — Acts  iv : 
9,  10,  12. 

'Thatfa/se  miracles  could  not  be  performed 
in  the  name  of  Christ  was  proven  by  the  ter- 
rible experience  of  the  unconverted  Jews, 
related  in  Acts  xix  :  13,  15,  16. 

"  Then  certain  of  the  vagabond  Jews,  exor- 
cists, took  upon  them  to  call  over  them  which 
had  evil  spirits,  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
saying,  We  adjure  you  by  Jesus  whom  Paul 
preacheth.  And  the  evil  spirit  answered  and 
said,  Jesus  I  know,  and  Paul  I  know;  but  who 
are  ye  ?  And  the  man  in  whom  the  evil  spirit 
was,  leaped  on  them,  and  overcame  them,  and 
prevailed  against  them,  so  that  they  fled  out 
of  that  house,  naked  and  wounded." 

In  Christ's  parting  commission  to  His  dis- 
ciples He  mentions,  among  other  signs  that 
shall  follow  those  who  believe,  "  they  shall  lay 
hands  on  the  sick  and  they  shall  recover,"  but 
notice  that  all  of  these  wonderful  things  were 
to  be  done  in  Christ's  name:  "/;/  My  name. 
shall  they  cast  out  devils." 

O,  let  us  not  refuse  to  recognize  the  power 
of  our  Redeemer's  name,  and  when  we  cry 


THE    POWER    OF    JESUS'    NAME.  33 

for  mercy  to  that  blessed  Saviour,  let  us,  like 
blind  Bartimeus,  persist  until  our  calls  reach 
His  gracious  ear.  There  are  many  sweet  and 
comforting  lessons  in  this  account  of  the  heal- 
ing of  Bartimeus,  if  we  read  it  with  under- 
standing. 

"And  it  came  to  pass,  that  as  He  was  come 
nigh  unto  Jericho,  a  certain  blind  man  sat  by 
the  wayside  begging."  Ho\v  in  our  spiritual 
blindness  we  all  sit  "  by  the  wayside  begging" — 
asking  paltry  alms  of  those  who  are  unwilling, 
and,  again,  of  those  who  are  unable,  of  their 
own  poverty,  to  give — when  if  we  would  but 
seek  Jesus,  we  should  receive  with  Him  the 
fullness  of  all  blessing.  "  He  that  spared  not 
His  own  Son,  but  delivered  Him  up  for  us  all, 
how  shall  He  not  with  Him  freely  give  us  all 
things  ?  " 

This  man  heard  the  tread  of  the  multitude, 
and  he  asked  what  it  meant,  "  And  they  told 
him  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  passeth  by." 
Happy  are  we  if  we  are  not  spiritually  deaf 
as  well  as  blind ;  for  many  there  be  who  will 
not  listen  to  the  sound  of  the  footsteps  of 
those  who  follow  Christ,  "  lest/'  as  the  Lord 


34  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

says,  "  they  should  be  converted  and  I  should 
heal  them."  But  if  we  are  ready  and  willing 
to  ask  what  these  things  mean,  we  shall  not 
fail  of  receiving  the  answer,  "Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth passeth  by." 

Then  our  cry,  like  that  of  blind  Bartimeus, 
will  arise  above  all  other  tumult,  "  Jesus,  Thou 
Son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  me."  And  they 
which  went  before,  rebuked  him,  that  he  should 
hold  his  peace;  just  as  many  who  go  before, 
or  occupy  the  first  place  in  Christian  churches 
nowadays,  take  it  upon  themselves  to  rebuke 
those  who  seek  for  Christ's  healing  mercy.  If 
many  of  the  ministers  or  "elders'1  of  the 
present  day  had  lived  at  that  time  and  heard 
the  blind  man's  cries,  they  would  doubtless 
have  represented  to  him  the  exceeding  sinful- 
ness  of  seeking  to  be  delivered  from  an  in- 
firmity which  he  ought  simply  to  bear  with 
resignation. 

O,  how  we  limit  the  power  and  mercy  of 
the  Great  Shepherd!  How  unwilling  we  are 
to  accept  what  God,  of  His  exceeding  good- 
ness, is  so  willing  to  give ! 

But  Bartimeus'  faith  in  Christ's  mercy  was 


THE    POWER    OF    JESUS     NAME.  35 

much  greater  than  his  fear  of  those  who  re- 
buked him,  and  "  he  cried  so  much  the  more, 
Thou  Son  of  David  have  mercy  on  me."  If 
he  had  only  listened  to  the  reproving  voices 
of  those  who  went  before,  and  had  not  per- 
sisted in  turning  from  them  to  Jesus  Himself, 
how  great  the  blessing  he  must  have  forfeited. 

Did  Jesus  pass  by  that  blind  man  with  a 
rebuking  word  and  a  command  to  submit 
patiently  to  his  affliction?  Ah,  no!  for  was 
not  that  merciful  Saviour  Himself  willing  to 
bear,  in  his  own  body,  the  sins  and  sorrows  of 
the  blind  man,  and  of  all  those  who  will  by 
faith  cast  their  burden  upon  the  cross  ? 

We  hear  His  voice  in  kindness  and  power, 
''What  wilt  thou  that  I  shall  do  unto  thee  ?  " 
Think  what  these  words  would  mean  coming 
even  from  an  earthly  monarch ;  how  much 
more  do  they  convey  spoken  by  Him  to  whom 
"  all  power  has  been  given  in  heaven  and  in 
earth." 

'  What  wilt  thou  ?  " — we  may  each  one  of 
us  hear  this  question  from  our  Lord,  and  as 
many  of  His  promises  as  we  choose  to  accep' 
by  faith,  will  be  made  real  to  us. 


36  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

The  blind  man's  request  was  that  he  might 
receive  his  sight.  He  was  then  capable  of 
understanding  only  the  blessing  of  having  the 
darkness  removed  from  his  physical  vision, 
but  with  Jesus'  words,  "  Receive  thy  sight,  thy 
faith  hath  saved  thee,"  his  soul  also  received 
new  powers  of  vision,  and  he  joyfully  beheld 
the  "True  Light"  Who  hath  said,  "I  am  the 
light  of  the  world  :  he  that  followeth  Me  shall 
not  walk  in  darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light 
of  life." 

"And  immediately  he  received  his  sight, 
and  followed  Him  glorifying  God  :  and  all  the 
people  when  they  saw  it  gave  praise  unto 
God."  It  is  recorded  of  this  man,  as  of  so 
many  others  who  were  healed  by  Christ,  that 
his  first  act,  after  being  made  whole,  was  to 
glorify  God.  Adoration  is  the  essential  out- 
pouring of  the  heart  which  recognizes  its 
Redeemer,  who  "  Himself  took  our  infirmities, 
and  bare  our  sicknesses." — St.  Matt,  viii :  17. 

And,  like  David,  we  may  sing  with  joyful 
lips,  "Bless  the  Lord,  O!  my  soul,  and  forget 
not  all  His  benefits :  who  forgiveth  all  thine 
iniquities;  who  healeth  all  thy  diseases." 


THE    NATURE    OF    FAITH.  37 


CHAPTER     III. 

THE     NATURE     OF     FAITH. 

I  TRUST  that  there  are  many  of  you,  my 
dear  friends,  who,  clinging  closely  to  the  word 
of  God  instead  of  to  the  traditions  of  men, 
are  already  beginning  to  realize  the  blessed 
privilege  which  may  be  yours — that  of  accept- 
ing your  Saviour  as  the  "  Great  Physician  "  of 
your  soul  and  body. 

You  may  answer  that  you  long  ago  accepted 
Him  as  the  Physician  of  your  soul ;  but  do 
you  really  feel  satisfied  that  you  have  expe- 
rienced a  complete  spiritual  healing  ?  Are 
you  fully  assured  that  your  sins  are  forgiven, 
and  that  your  soul  has  been  born  anew  ?  Do 
you  feel  that  you  have  been  brought  to  the 
full  salvation,  which  Christ  meant  should  be 
ours,  when  He  suffered  on  Calvary  ?  I  doubt 
not  that  there  are  many  hearts  that  will  give 
sad  answers  to  these  questions,  knowing,  as 
they  do,  that  they  have  not  been  "  filled  with 
joy  and  with  the  Holy  Ghost." — Acts  xiii :  52. 


THE    PRAYER    OF    FATTH 

I  beg  of  you  then  to  trust  God  for  a  more 
complete  healing  of  soul  than  you  have  ever 
known  before,  and  trust  Him,  also,  for  the 
healing  of  your  weak,  suffering  body.  I  think 
I  can  tell,  from  my  own  experience,  one  of  the 
first  temptations  which  you  will  encounter  in 
your  attempt  to  do  this.  You  are  probably 
saying  :  "  Other  people  may  claim  the  prom- 
ise in  Jas.  v  :  14,  15,  but  I  am  not  good  enough. 
God  would  not  thus  favor  any  but  those  who 
had  led  very  holy  lives." 

We  are  so  apt  to  lose  sight  of  the  all-im- 
portant fact  that  we  have  no  righteousness  of 
our  own,  that  "there  is  none  righteous;  no, 
not  one,"  but  we  may,  and  must,  put  on  Christ, 
as  our  righteousness.  We  all  know  this;  but 
do  we  all  realize  it?  Considering  our  own 
unworthiness,  we  have  none  of  us  a  right  to 
present  a  single  petition  to  God.  '  For  there 
is  no  difference ;  for  all  have  sinned,  and  come 
short  of  the  glory  of  God."  -Rom.  iii :  22,  23. 

It  is  one  of  Satan's  delusions,  that  even 
while  we  are  thus  holding  back,  from  a  sense 
of  our  sinfulness,  we  are  consoled  for  our 
lack  of  faith  by  a  half-conscious  acknowl- 
edgment of  what  we  think  is  our  humility. 


THE    NATURE    OF    FAITH.  39 

The  right  kind  of  humility  is  indeed  very 
necessary;  but  we  must  look  entirely  away 
from  self,  to  our  Saviour,  and  thus  realize 
what  we  may  receive  through  His  merits.  We 
may  "come  boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace' 
through  "  the  righteousness  of  God,  which  is 
by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ  unto  all,  and  upon  all 
them  that  believe." 

Clad  in  the  robe  of  His  righteousness,  we 
may  then  claim  all  the  wonderful  blessings 
extended  to  the  righteous. 

We  read:  "Thou  Lord  wilt  bless  the  right- 
eous, with  favor  wilt  thou  compass  him  as 
with  a  shield ; >;  "  The  Lord  loveth  the  right- 
eous ;'  "His  secret  is  with  the  righteous;' 
"  The  desire  of  the  righteous  shall  be  granted ;  " 
"  The  righteous  is  delivered  out  of  trouble ; '! 
''The  way  of  the  righteous  is  made  plain;'1 
and  many  more  such  precious  texts,  which, 
when  we  realize  that  they  may  be  ours  through 
Christ,  make  our  hearts  sing  for  joy. 

In  the  examples  of  great  faith,  given  us  in 
the  Gospels,  we  see  how  persistently  and  fear- 
lessly the  most  humble  sinners  approached 
their  holy  Lord,  when  losing  sight  of  them- 
selves in  Him. 


4O  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

Notice  the  difference  between  the  conduct 
of  the  ten  lepers  who  "stood  afar  off,"  and 
that  of  the  other  poor  leper  we  read  of,  who 
came  to  Jesus,  "beseeching  Him  and  kneeling 
down  to  Him."  The  former  dared  not  ap- 
proach Christ,  because  of  the  law  respecting 
their  terrible  disease,  but  the  latter  had,  it 
seems,  in  his  importunity  and  faith,  dared  to 
approach  so  near  the  Saviour,  that  He  could 
touch  him  by  putting  forth  His  hand. 

So  we,  viewing  ourselves  in  the  light  of  the 
law,  see  our  souls  so  vile  and  loathsome  that 
we  dare  not  approach  the  Holy  One ;  but 
when,  with  the  eye  of  faith,  we  behold  our- 
selves as  already  cleansed  by  the  blood  of 
Jesus,  we  feel  no  longer  our  pollution,  but  are 
ready  to  approach  Him,  and  receive  "  accord- 
ing to  our  faith." 

When  we  begin  to  realize  that  "  God  is  no 
respecter  of  persons,"  and  that  all  who  go  to 
Him  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  are  accepted 
alike ;  when  we  have  given  up  the  idea  that 
any  one  can  have  righteousness  of  his  own, 
then  a  very  great  barrier  is  broken  down  be- 
tween God's  good  gifts  and  ourselves.  But 


THE    NATURE    OF    FAITH.  4! 

Satan  is  always  ready  to  set  up  new  barriers, 
and  he  comes  to  us  with  difficulties  concerning 
our  faith. 

We  are  apt  to  regard  faith  as  something 
high  and  mysterious,  which  no  one  can  attain 
unless  born  with  an  unusual  degree  of  it. 
Some  of  us  are  deceived  by  thinking  that 
great  and  repeated  struggles  of  mind  are 
necessary  in  order  to  secure  it,  and  this  idea 
is  pretty  strongly  rooted,  until  we  really  un- 
derstand the  nature  of  faith.  I  could  not 
express  this  erroneous  notion  better  than  by 
repeating  the  very  remark  which  a  lady  made 
to  me  not  long  ago.  After  questioning  me 
about  my  cure,  she  exclaimed:  "Well,  I'm 
sure  /  never  could  muster  up  enough  faith !  ' 

Faith  is  belief,  and  the  question  is  not  how 
much  we  must  believe  God's  word,  but 
whether  we  accept  it  as  true  or  not  true ; 
whether  we  deem  it  reliable  or  not  reliable. 
There  is  no  neutral  ground  between  faith  and 
unbelief.  Of  all  Satan's  delusions,  none,  per- 
haps, are  more  delusive  than  the  errors  he 
puts  into  our  minds  regarding  faith.  Let  us 
take  the  Bible  definition  of  the  word  :  "  Faith 


42  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

is  the  substance  (margin,  confidence)  of  things 
hoped  for,  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen." — 
Heb.  xi :  i. 

We  know  that  in  human  transactions  if  we 
have  the  confidence  that  we  shall  have  what  we 
are  hoping  for,  we  make  the  same  calculations, 
mentally,  at  least,  that  we  should  if  we 
already  had  it,  and  when  we  place  that  con- 
fidence in  One  who  cannot  fail,  we  really 
have  the  substance,  itself,  of  our  hopes.  Again, 
if  we  commission  a  reliable  friend  to  perform 
some  errand  for  us,  we  believe  that  he  will  do 
it,  and  therefore  that  belief  or  faith  is  the 
evidence  in  our  mind  of  things  as  yet  unseen. 
Before  we  have  the  evidence  of  our  senses  in 
regard  to  the  matter,  we  accept  the  evidence 
of  faith. 

Having  faith  in  God  is  believing  His  word 
without  looking  at  probabilities  or  possibil- 
ities, as  humanly  viewed ;  without  regarding 
natural  circumstances;  without  considering 
any  apparent  obstacles  in  the  way  of  His 
keeping  His  promises.  If  every  avenue  of 
hope  seems  closed  to  our  human  vision,  God 
can  open  new  ones,  and  we  must  trust  His 


THE    NATURE    OF    FAITH.  43 

word  through  everything.  It  is  not  faith  sim- 
ply to  believe  when  we  can  see  all  the  work- 
ings of  Providence ;  it  is  faith  not  to  be 
staggered  at  any  complication  of  adverse 
circumstances.  "  And  this  is  the  confidence 
that  we  have  in  Him,  that  if  we  ask  anything 
according  to  His  will  He  heareth  us :  and 
if  we  know  that  He  hear  us,  whatsoever  we 
ask,  we  know  that  we  have  the  petitions  that 
we  desired  of  him." — i  John  v:  14,  15.  "And 
whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  My  name,  that  will 
I  do,  that  the  Father  may  be  glorified  in  the 
Son.  If  ye  shall  ask  anything  in  My  name,  I 
will  do  it."— St.  John  xiv:  13,  14. 

We  get  some  valuable  knowledge,  in  regard 
to  faith,  from  the  touching  and  eloquent 
recital  of  the  healing  of  the  poor  woman,  in 
St.  Mark  v:  25-34.  She  had  been  afflicted 
with  her  disease  for  twelve  years,  "and  had 
suffered  many  things  of  many  physicians,  and 
had  spent  all  that'  she  had,  and  was  nothing 
bettered,  but  rather  grew  worse." 

How  exactly  the  language  of  this  verse  de- 
scribes the  experience  of  many  poor  sufferers 
nowadays,  who  having  sought  relief  by  every 


44  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

means  possible,  find  themselves  in  a  worse 
condition  than  when  they  first  sought  their 
physicians,  and  who  are  left  without  money 
to  pay  more  doctors'  bills,  even  were  they  not 
aware  that  no  human  skill  could  remove  or 
alleviate  their  sufferings. 

Just  at  the  time  of  her  utter  discourage- 
ment, this  woman  "  heard  of  Jesus."  Perhaps 
she  had  heard  of  His  wonderful  works  before 
this,  but  until  she  had  tried  every  means,  and 
they  had  failed,  she  was  probably  not  ready 
or  willing  to  hear  of  Him  with  faith,  and  this 
is  apt  to  be  the  case  with  us. 

This  poor  woman  "  when  she  had  heard  of 
Jesus,  came  in  the  press  behind,  and  touched 
His  garments.  For  she  said,  If  I  may  touch 
but  His  clothes,  I  shall  be  whole."  O,  that  we 
might  thus  press  through  the  crowd  of  doubts 
and  fears,  and  let  nothing  stay  us  until  we 
have  touched  the  hem  of  Christ's  garment! 

What,  in  this  poor  sufferer's  case,  was  the 
inevitable  result  of  that  touch  of  faith  ?  "  She 
felt  in  her  body  that  she  was  healed  of  that 
plague." 

A  marked  lesson  is  conveyed  in  the  Saviour's 
inquiry,  "Who  touched  my  clothes?"  and  the 


THE    NATURE    OF    FAITH.  45 

answer  which  He  intended  this  question  to 
bring  forth:  "And  His  disciples  said  unto 
Him,  Thou  seest  the  multitude  thronging 
Thee,  and  sayest  Thou,  who  touched  Me?" 

How  significant  is  this  of  the  multitudes 
who  throng  Jesus  every  day,  who  draw  near 
to  Him  in  prayer,  and  yet,  like  this  multitude 
who  "  followed  Him  and  thronged  Him," 
draw  not  near  in  faith.  Some  who  were  in 
that  throng  were  undoubtedly  there  out  of 
curiosity ;  some  may  have  passed  near  and 
touched  Him  as  an  experiment,  or  test  of 
His  power ;  and  some,  even,  with  prayers  on 
their  lips,  may  have  been  uttering  mockeries 
which  they  did  not  expect,  and  perhaps  did 
not  wish,  to  have  regarded. 

The  disciples  marveled  that  Christ  should 
say,  "Who  touched  me?"  when  they  knew 
that  each  moment  His  contact  with  some  one 
was  unavoidable  ;  but  He  alone  could  discern 
between  the  touch  of  faith  and  the  touch  of 
unbelief. 

"  And  He  looked  round  about  to  see  her 
that  had  done  this  thing."  Is  it  not  comfort- 
ing to  know  that  our  blessed  Lord,  in  His 


46  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

tender  solicitude  for  us,  will  thus  take  such 
particular  notice  of  every  one  who  dares 
reach  out  the  hand  of  faith  to  touch  His 
sacred  robe  ? 

And  what  does  the  sequel  teach  ?  That  we 
must  not  keep  silent  about  the  great  things 
which  Christ  does  for  us.  For  His  glory  we 
must  confess  them  "  before  all  the  people," 
and  then  to  us,  as  it  did  to  her,  will  sound 
His  reassuring  voice  :  ''  Go  in  peace." 

The  physical  healing  seems  to  have  been 
given  first  in  this  instance,  and  it  was  only 
when  she  confessed  the  wondrous  work 
wrought  in  her,  that  He  gave  the  '  peace 
which  passeth  all  understanding  "  to  her  soul, 
It  may  be  that  we  shall  be  called  upon  to 
confess  Christ,  "with  fearing  and  trembling," 
as  did  she;  but  just  as  surely  He  will  bid  us 
be  of  good  comfort,  and  say  :  Thy  faith 
hath  made  thee  whole." 

Sometimes  we  cherish  the  idea  that  faith  is 
in  itself  so  meritorious  that  it  entitles  us  to 
proportionate  blessings ;  but  we  must  keep  in 
mind,  that  it  would  make  no  difference  how 
strong  was  our  belief  in  God's  power,  had  He 


THE    NATURE    OF    FAITH.  47 

not  given  His  Son  to  die  for  us,  that  we  might 
be  accepted  in  Him. 

'  Thou  believest  that  there  is  one  God  ; 
thou  doest  well ;  the  devils  also  believe  and 
tremble." — Jas.  ii :  19.  But  \ve  must  also  be- 
lieve that  it  is  not  for  our  faith's  sake,  but  for 
Christ's  sake  alone  that  we  may  have  all  the 
blessings  promised  us  in  His  name.  Instead 
of  thinking  of  the  merits  of  faith,  we  must  try 
to  understand  how  great  a  sin  is  unbelief. 

We  may  realize  how  much  we  lose  by  it, 
but  not  how  criminal  it  is  in  the  sight  of  God. 
If  we  would  look  at  our  unbelieving  conduct 
with  the  thought  that  we  are  representing  the 
faithful  God  a  liar,  we  should  put  new  force 
upon  the  saying:  ''For  whatsoever  is  not  of 
faith  is  sin."  -Rom.  xiv :  2.  "Whatsoever" — 
this  gives  us  new  ideas  concerning  the  sinful- 
ness  which  we  must  ask  God  to  forgive  ;  for 
how  much,  how  very  much,  there  is  in  all  of 
us,  which  is  "not  of  faith." 

Faith  is  not  meritorious,  but  it  is  essential. 
We  must  believe  fully  in  God's  power,  and  in 
His  mercy  through  Christ,  in  order  to  put 
ourselves  in  a  position  to  receive  the  desired 


48  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

blessing.  Every  doubt  removes  us  just  so  far 
from  claiming  the  promises;  for  since  faith  is 
laying  hold  of  a  blessing,  doubt  is  just  the 
opposite — letting  go  of  it.  If  we  take  hold  by 
faith  of  something  we  desire,  then  let  go  be- 
cause of  doubt,  and  continue  our  indecision, 
doubt  generally  conquers,  and  we  let  go  alto- 
gether. Having  once  laid  hold  of  a  promise, 
by  faith,  we  must  keep  hold  of  it. 

We  all  have  the  germ  of  faith  in  the  power 
to  believe  intellectually,  but  it  requires  the 
quickening  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  change  a 
mere  intellectual  belief  into  that  living  faith 
by  which  the  promises  are  made  real  to  us. 
We  must  first  use  the  God-given  powers  of 
our  mind  and  determine  to  believe,  praying 
at  the  same  time  for  the  Spirit  to  enable  us  to 
do  so.  We  are  told  in  Gal.  v:  22,  that  faith 
is  the  "fruit  of  the  Spirit." 

A  lady  who  was  cured  of  a  nine-years' 
blindness,  in  answer  to  prayer,  wrote  to  a 
friend :  "  I  now  understand  the  mystery  of 
the  miracles."  She  had  experienced  the  light 
and  power  which  had  given  her  new  vision, 
spiritual  as  well  as  physical,  and  could  now 


THE    JNATURE    OF    FAITH.  49 

understand  how  the  faith,  "without  works  and 
dead,"  could  be  renewed  and  bring  forth  fruit 
when  quickened  by  the  Spirit. 

If  we  plead  in  Christ's  name  for  the  Com- 
forter, we  have  full  assurance  that  we  shall  be 
answered,  for  Jesus  left  us  these  precious 
words:  "If  ye  then  being  evil  know  how  to 
give  good  gifts  unto  your  children,  how  much 
more  shall  your  Heavenly  Father  give  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  Him."  We  have 
only  to  desire  and  then  to  ask. 

I  remember  when  the  wings  of  faith,  my 
carrier-dove,  were  so  heavy  laden  with  the 
pollution  of  my  sinful  and  discouraged  soul, 
that  my  messages  could  not  arise  to  Heaven. 
But  were  they  not,  therefore,  received  of 
God  ?  Yes,  though  I  knew  it  not  then,  He 
mercifully  bent  to  hear  my  petitions,  though 
my  faith  could  not  arise  to  Him.  The  feeblest 
flutterings  of  our  faith  will  arouse  His  tender 
love,  and  He  will  revive  and  strengthen  until 
it  soars  trustfully  upward. 

I  will  take  an  extract  from  Rev.  Theo. 
Monod's  writings  :  "  Do  you  think  it  would 
be  a  great  thing — do  you  think  it  would  be  a 


50  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

happy  thing  for  you  to  give  that  poor  body 
of  yours,  that  poor  heart  of  yours,  to  God  to 
live  in?  Do  you  think  God  would  accept  it? 
Hear  this  one  word.  Jesus  Christ  says  that 
even  as  a  father  will  not  give  a  stone  for  bread 
to  his  hungering  child,  even  so — no,  He  does 
not  say  that — He  says,  ''how  much  more  shall 
your  Heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  '- 
to  them  that  deserve  Him  ?  No  !  To  them 
that  merely  keep  wishing,  for  Him  ?  No ! 
To  them  that  ASK  for  Him.  *  A*k  and  ye 
shall  receive.' 

"  The  Shepherd  does  not  ask  of  thee 

Faith  in  thy  faith,  but  only  faith  in  Him  ; 

And  this  He  meant  in  saying, '  Come  to  Me.' 
In  light  or  darkness  seek  to  do  His  will, 
And  leave  the  work  of  faith  to  Jesus  still." 

While  most  of  us  limit  God's  mercy,  there 
are  others  who  limit  His  power.  It  is  strange 
that  any  who  acknowledge  God's  omnipotence, 
can  be  so  inconsistent  as  to  suppose  that  His 
power  cannot  extend  to  one  disease  as  well  as 
to  another,  and  yet  I  have  heard  people  spec- 
ify certain  cases,  and  ask,  incredulously,  "  But 

do  you  think  that  they  could  be  cured  in  that 

•» » 
way  ? 


THE    NATURE    OF    FAITH.  51 

The  prophet  says:  "Ah,  Lord  God!  be- 
hold, Thou  hast  made  the  heaven  and  the 
earth,  by  Thy  great  power  and  stretched-out 
arm,  and  there  is  nothing  too  hard  for  Thee." 

Many  who  seek  this  healing  as  a  last  resort, 
have  very  little  faith  that  their  cases  are  within 
reach  of  the  "Great  Physician's"  power,  and 
to  them  a  wonderful  lesson  is  presented  in  the 
account  of  healing  given  in  Mark  ix  :  17-30. 

The  father  of  the  afflicted  child  had  taken 
him  to  the  disciples  to  be  healed  by  them,  but 
he  found  that  they  were  unable  to  cast  out 
the  devil.  What  little  faith  the  man  had  pos- 
sessed, was  evidently  weakened  by  their  fail- 
ure, and  it  was  almost  in  despair  that  he  spoke 
these  words  to  Jesus,  "  But  if  Thou  canst  do 
anything,  have  compassion  on  us  and  help 
us."  Do  not  many  of  us  go  with  this  feeling 
in  our  hearts,  "  Lord,  if  Thou  canst  do  any- 
thing, have  compassion  on  us  "? 

But  Jesus  gently  rebukes  this  lack  of  faith, 
and  proceeds  to  instruct  him  in  what  spirit  he 
must  approach  Him,  if  he  would  have  his 
child  cured. 


52  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

"  Jesus  said  unto  him,  If  thou  canst  believe, 
all  things  are  possible  to  him  that  believeth." 
Let  us  stop  a  moment  to  consider  the  two 
glorious  possibilities,  "  with  God  all  things  are 
possible,"  and  "  all  things  are  possible  to  Kim 
that  believeth." 

How  many  of  us,  judging  from  our  own 
faithless  conduct,  would  have  replied  that  we 
did  not  know  how  to  believe,  that  we  could 
not  believe,  that  we  were  not  born  with  faith 
and  were,  therefore,  incapable  of  believing. 

Did  that  troubled,  sorrowing  father  answer 
in  this  way?  Ah,  no!  he  knew  the  urgency 
of  his  son's  case;  he  knew  that  the  only  con- 
dition was  believing,  and,  without  searching 
his  heart  to  see  if  he  found  there  some  mys- 
terious emotion,  such  as  many  people  now 
understand  faith  to  be,  he  at  once  signified 
his  willingness  to  fulfil  the  necessary  condition 
by  making  the  effort  to  believe. 

"  And  straightway  the  father  of  the  child 
cried  out  and  said,  with  tears,  Lord,  I  believe, 
help  Thou  mine  unbelief."  Straightway,  with- 
out waiting  a  moment,  even  while  with  tears 
he  was  bemoaning  his  lack  of  faith  and  ask- 


THE    NATURE    OF    FAITH.  53 

ing  Christ  to  help  his  unbelief,  he  made  the 
effort  of  intellect  and  will,  and  said,  "  Lord,  I 
believe." 

Not — "  Lord  I  will  believe  when  Thou  dost 
help  mine  unbelief,"  but — "  I  will  believe,  I 
do  believe  this  moment." 

He  had  acted  upon  the  determination  to 
believe  in  spite  of  himself,  in  spite  of  his  un- 
belief, and  as  he  made  the  effort  the  power  was 
given  him. 


54  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

* 

GOD'S    BLESSED    WILL    FOR    HIS    CHILDREN. 

THERE  are  some  dear  suffering  ones  who 
think  they  may  not  claim  this  promised  heal- 
ing, because  it  might  not  be  the  Lord's  will 
for  them  to  be  cured.  That  God  has  a  wise 
purpose  in  allowing  sickness  to  come  upon  us, 
we  may  be  certain.  He  doubtless  uses  it  as 
one  means  of  the  loving  chastening,  with 
which  he  afflicts  His  children ;  and  to  under- 
stand better  why  God  chastens  us,  let  us  look 
at  Heb.  xii :  i  r.  "  Now  no  chastening  for  the 
present  seemeth  to  be  joyous,  but  grievous; 
nevertheless,  afterward,  it  yieldeth  the  peace- 
able fruit  of  righteousness  unto  them  which 
are  exercised  thereby." 

In  every  providence  it  is  the  design  of  our 
loving  Father  to  bring  us  nearer  to  Himself; 
to  melt  our  stubborn  wills  until  they  may 
blend  with  His  will,  which  is  all  love  for  us, 
and  to  cause  us  to  yield  ourselves,  souls  and 
bodies,  "  a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable 
unto  the  Lord." 


GOD'S    BLESSED    WILL.  55 

.  Some  may  harbor  the  idea  that  God  is  very 
reluctant  to  remove  suffering  from  us — that 
He  is  a  hard  Master  who  will  only  relieve  us 
when  we  have  wearied  Him  with  our  impor- 
tunity ;  but  it  is  often  because  we  have  strayed 
from  our  tender  Shepherd,  that  He  in  mercy 
afflicts  us,  and  it  is  because  we  are  so  unwill- 
ing to  return,  that  the  trial  must  needs  con- 
tinue so  long  with  some  of  us. 

There  are  other  souls  who  are  already  near 
their  Saviour,  but  whose  very  nearness  causes 
them  to  catch  such  precious  glimpses  of  the 
bliss  of  being  still  nearer  their  loved  Re- 
deemer, that  they  plead  with  increasing  ear- 
nestness for  this  privilege.  And  these,  too, 
He  purifies  by  suffering,  until  they  are  freed 
from  the  dross  which  prevents  the  gold  from 
reflecting  His  image  clearly. 

If  these  suffering  ones  would  yield  at  once 
to  the  Refiner,  their  unbelief,  which  represents1 
the  baser  metal  they  had  wished  destroyed, 
the  trial  would  quickly  end,  because  no  longer 
needful.  And  this  can  be  done  by  faith — by 
accepting  Christ  fully  and  putting  all  our 
dependence  on  Him.  We  read  that  the  chas- 


56  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

tening  brings  forth  the  "fruit  of  righteous- 
ness," but  if  we  believe  fully  on  Christ  we 
may  have  His  righteousness  and  a-deliverance 
from  our  trial,  for  "the  chastisement  of  our 
peace  was  upon  Him,  and  with  His  stripes  we 
are  healed." 

A  dear,  Christian  sister,  who  was  long  edu- 
cated in  suffering,  wrote  me  awhile  ago,  "I 
was  honest  in  my  desire  to  be  ivholly  the 
Lord's,  and  nothing  so  reveals  the  Divine 
faithfulness  as  the  very  trials  which  were  so 
deliberate,  so  protracted,  and  so  thorough. 
It  is  strange  how  much  we  can  endure  before 
we  are  willing  to  stop  and  trust !  "  "  Stop  and 
trust! '  —this  is  just  what  we  must  be  brought 
to,  sooner  or  later,  and,  as  soon  as  we  will,  we 
may  obtain  deliverance  by  this  means. 

I  doubt  not  that  our  Saviour's  loving  heart 
yearns  to  grant  our  petitions  the  moment  they 
are  presented,  but  with  what  infinite  patience 
and  wisdom  He  waits,  that  we  may  be  pre- 
pared to  receive  what  we  have  asked  of  Him, 
and  that  will  be  when  we  are  willing  to  stop 
our  own  endeavors  and  trust  to  the  work 
which  He  has  accomplished  for  us.  As  much, 


GOD'S    BLESSED    WILL.  57 

or  as  little,  as  we  do  this,  we  receive  propor- 
tionate blessings,  and  Jesus  has  Himself  said: 
"  According  to  your  faith  be  it  unto  you." 
This  surely  means  that  just  as  many  of  the 
benefits  of  His  atonement  as  we  choose  to 
accept  by  faith  (or  belief  in  Him)  may  be 
ours.  Would  there  be  any  good  of  soul  and 
body  which  this  would  fail  to  comprehend,  if 
we  could  grasp  His  wonderful  words  in  all 
their  fullness?  The  Psalmist  says:  "  No  good 
thing  will  He  withhold  from  them  who  walk 
uprightly,"  and  when  we  are  walking  in 
Christ,  trusting  to  His  full  salvation,  we  are 
walking  uprightly. 

While  it  is  a  wonderfully  blessed  truth,  that 
He  will  not  yield  to  our  entreaties  before  the 
end  so  essential  to  our  eternal  good  is  accom- 
plished, it  is  also  just  as  blessed  and  true  that 
we  may  obtain  a  speedy  deliverance  out  of 
every  trouble,  by  giving  our  souls  and  bodies 
unreservedly  to  Him,  and  resting  upon  His 
;<  full,  perfect  and  sufficient  sacrifice  '  for  the 
sins  of  the  whole  world. 

I  do  not  mean  that  no  trial  will  come  to  us 
when  we  have  entered  upon  this  life  of  faith; 


58  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

for,  if  that  were  so,  how  could  we  understand 
the  blessedness  of  having  such  a  mighty  and 
conquering  Saviour  ?  Just  as  we  must  first 
be  convicted  of  sin  to  be  able  to  rejoice  in 
being  freed  from  sin,  so  trials  must  often  come 
to  us  that  we  may  taste  the  joy  of  knowing 
that  "  God  is  our  refuge  and  strength — a  very 
present  help  in  time  of  trouble."  It  is  pre- 
cious to  behold  what  wonderful  deliverances 
He  will  work  for  us,  even  when  we  seem  com- 
pletely hedged  in,  if  we  put  our  trust  in  Him. 
'*  O,  taste  and  see  that  the  Lord  is  good : 
blessed  is  the  man  that  trusteth  in  Him.  The 
young  lions  do  lack  and  suffer  hunger,  but 
they  that  seek  the  Lord  shall  not  want  any 
good  thing.  Many  are  the  afflictions  of  the 
righteous,  but  the  Lord  delivereth  him  out  of 
them  all." — Psalm  xxxiv:  8,  10,  19.  What 
wonderful,  helpful  words,  and  to  think  that  all 
the  blessedness  the  Bible  tells  about,  may  be- 
long to  each  and  all  of  us  who  will  claim  it 
through  Christ !  O,  if  we  would  all  at  this 
moment  "  taste  and  see  that  the  Lord  is  good." 
We  would  only  need  one  taste  to  make  us 
desire  to  eat  of  His  goodness  evermore,  but 


GOD'S   BLESSED    WILL.  59 

the  trouble  is,  we  will  not  accept  the  invitation 
to  even  taste. 

Jehovah  said  to  Israel,  "  Open  thy  mouth 
wide  and  I  will  nil  it,"  but  they  did  not  heed; 
and  just  so  we  are  crying  because  of  our 
hunger  and  will  not  open  our  mouths.  Hear 
the  loving,  grieving  words,  "  O,  that  my  peo- 
ple had  hearkened  unto  me,  and  Israel  had 
walked  in  my  ways!  I  should  soon  have  sub- 
dued their  enemies,  and  turned  my  hand 
against  their  adversaries."  Does  that  sound 
as  if  our  Lord  rejoiced  to  see  us  groaning  in 
affliction  ?  Then  He  tells  with  what  He 
would  have  filled  their  mouths, — "  He  should 
have  fed  them  also  with  the  finest  of  the  wheat, 
and  with  honey  out  of  the  Rock  should  I  have 
satisfied  thee." 

The  prophet  exhorts  to  repentance  in  these 
words,  ''  Come  and  let  us  return  unto  the 
Lord,  for  He  hath  torn  and  He  will  heal  us; 
He  hath  smitten  and  He  will  bind  us  up." 
Hoseavi:  i.  And  we  read  in  Lamentations 
iii :  32,  33,  "But  though  He  cause  grief,  yet 
»vill  He  have  compassion  according  to  the 
multitude  of  His  mercies.  For  He  doth  not 


60  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

afflict    willingly,  nor    grieve    the    children    of 


men.' 


And  would  this  tender,  loving  Father,  so 
much  more  merciful  and  loving  than  it  is  pos- 
sible for  an  earthly  parent  to  be,  refuse  to 
deliver  us  from  affliction,  when  His  purpose  is 
accomplished,  and  we  are  ready  to  trust  fully 
to  Him  ? 

How  plainly  are  we  shown  throughout  the 
Bible  that  it  is  not  the  Lord's  will  to  put  sick- 
ness upon »us,  if  we  will  only  obey  His  com- 
mands and  have  faith  in  His  promises.  We 
read,  "  But  if  thou  shalt  indeed  obey  His 
voice  and  do  all  that  I  speak,  then  I  will  be 
an  enemy  unto  thy  enemies,  and  an  adversary 
unto  thine  adversaries;  and  ye  shall  serve  the 
Lord  your  God  *  *  *  and  I  will 
take  sickness  away  from  the  midst  of  thee." 
Ex.  xxiii :  22,  25. 

'  Wherefore,  it  shall  come  to  pass,  if  ye 
hearken  to  these  judgments  and  keep  and  do 
them,  that  the  Lord  thy  God  shall  keep  unto 
thee  the  covenant  and  the  mercy  which  He 
sware  unto  thy  fathers,  and  the  Lord  will  take 
away  from  thee  all  sickness,  and  will  put  none 


GOD'S    BLESSED    WILL.  OX 

of    the  evil    diseases    of    Egypt,    which    thou 
knowest,  upon  thee."— Deut.  vii :   12,  15. 

If  we  trust  fully  in  Christ's  finished  work, 
sin  cannot  hold  us  captive,  for  He  "bare  our 
sins  in  His  own  body  on  the  tree,  that  we, 
being  dead  to  sins,  should  live  unto  righteous- 
ness."— i  Peter  ii :  24. 

If.  we  trust  fully  to  His  finished  work,  sick- 
ness shall  not  be  able  to  hold  us  captive,  for 
Christ  "  Himself  took  our  infirmities,  and  bare 
our  sicknesses." — St.  Matt,  viii :  17.  And  if 
we  trust  fully  in  that  finished  work,  even  the 
grave  shall  not  hold  us  captive  long,  for  "  now 
is  Christ  risen  from  the  dead,  and  become  the 
first  fruits  of  them  that  slept." — t  Cor.  xv  :  20. 

Sin,  sickness  and  corruption  are  upon  all 
humanity  because  of  the  first  Adam's  sin  ; 
but  we  may  be  delivered  from  sin,  sickness 
and  corruption  because  of  the  atonement  of 
Christ,  "the  last  Adam."  "For  as  in  Adam 
all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made 
alive." — i  Cor.  xv  :  22. 

O,  dear,  suffering  friends,  take  the  comfort 
of  this,  and  believe  that  in  Christ  you  may 
have  every  need  of  soul  and  body  supplied. 


62  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

It  is  His  will  that  we  shall  ask  Him  for  both 
spiritual  and  physical  healing,  and,  therefore, 
He  has  told  us  by  His  inspired  apostle  that 
"  the  prayer  of  faith  shall  save  the  sick  and 
the  Lord  shall  raise  him  up;  and  if  he  have 
committed  sins  they  shall  be  forgiven  him." 

In  the  account  of  the  healing  of  the  leper, 
in  St.  Matt,  viii :  2-4,  we  see  one  who  had 
implicit  faith  in  God's  power,  but  who  was 
seeking  to  know  His  will.  "And  behold 
there  came  a  leper  and  worshiped  Him,  say- 
ing, Lord,  if  Thou  wilt  Thou  canst  make  me 
clean."  If  Jesus  had,  before  this,  openly 
proclaimed,  as  we  have  since  had  proclaimed 
to  us  through  His  written  Word,  that  any 
sick  person  who  asked,  believing,  would  be 
healed  and  have  his  sins  forgiven,  the  man 
would  have  gone  to  Him  with  different  words  ; 
for  Christ's  will  in  the  matter  would  have 
been  already  known  to  him.  He  would  sim- 
ply have  gone  to  Him  claiming  the  promise, 
in  words  like  these:  "Lord,  I  believe  that 
Thou  hast  power  to  make  me  clean,  and  Thou 
hast  signified  Thy  willingness  to  do  it." 

We  think  we  have  a  perfect  right  to  take 
our  earthly  friends  at  their  word,  and  to  ac- 


GOD'S    BLESSED    WILL.  63 

cept  promises  made  by  them,  and  yet  we  are 
continually  rejecting  God's  revealed  word,  and 
trying  to  gain  for  ourselves  a  peculiar  and 
different  revelation. 

We  must  act  on  our  Lord's  revealed  will, 
and  if  we  need  any  further  revelation,  par- 
ticularly designed  for  ourselves,  we  shall  have 
it  clearly  and  distinctly  given  us. 

Was  the  Lord's  will  for  that  poor  leper  any 
different  from  that  which  we  may  know  from 
His  written  Word,  He  now  wills  for  us  ?  No, 
the  prayer  of  faith  would  save  the  sick  then, 
and  it  will  now.  "  And  Jesus  put  forth  His 
hand  and  touched  him,  saying,  I  will ;  be 
thou  clean,  and  immediately  his  leprosy  was 
cleansed." 

Now,  what  is  the  difference  between  the 
case  of  the  poor  leper  and  that  of  our  sick 
and  suffering  ones  nowadays  ?  The  need  is 
the  same — healing  for  the  sin-sick  soul  and 
body.  Then,  too,  thank  God !  we  have  the 
same  "  Great  Physician  '  to  call  to  our  aid. 
He  is  as  near  us,  now,  as  then  He  was  near 
the  leper;  yes,  even  near  enough  for  His 
blessed  hand  to  touch  us  as  it.  did  him.  The 


64  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

same  tender  heart,  of  which  we  read  so  often 
that  it  was  "  moved  with  compassion,"  is 
ready,  now,  to  feel  for  us. 

"  For  we  have  not  a  High  Priest  which  can- 
not be  touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmi- 
ties. *  *  *  *  Let  us,  therefore,  come  boldly 
unto  the  throne  of  grace  that  we  may  obtain 
mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of 
need." 

The  only  existing  difference  between  the 
poor  leper's  case  and  our  own  is,  that  when 
he  first  went  to  the  Saviour  he  was  confident 
only  of  His  power  to  heal  him,  while  we, 
relying  on  his  revealed  Word,  may  have  the 
certainty  beforehand,  not  only  of  His  power 
but  also  of  His  willingness  to  heal  us. 

While  we  must  be  ready  to  bow  with  sub- 
mission to  another  revelation  if  it  is  made  to 
our  souls,  we  need  not  be  waiting  for  it;  we 
need  not  expect  it.  We  may  base  our  confi- 
dence on  the  word  He  has  already  given  us, 
and  we,  too,  shall  be  made  "clean."  Our 
flesh  shall  come  again  "  like  unto  the  flesh  of 
a  little  child  "  (2  Kings  v :  14),  and  our  hearts 
shall  be  cleansed  with  the  blood  of  Jesus. 


GOD'S    BLESSED    WILL.  65 

We  read  in  St.  Matt,  iv :  23:  "And  Jesus 
went  about  all  Galilee  *  *  *  preaching  the 
gospel  of  the  kingdom  and  healing  all  manner 
of  sickness,  and  all  manner  of  disease  among 
the  people."  While  the  tender  Physician 
ministered  to  the  body,  taking  away  pain  and 
disease,  and  imparting  new  life  to  the  wasted 
frame,  He  was,  at  the  same  time,  conferring 
that  much  more  marvelous  and  precious  gift, 
healing  to  the  sinful,  prostrate  soul.  Those 
who  went  to  Jesus  would  not  have  thought  of 
asking  Him  to  restore  their  souls,  and  leave 
their  bodies  full  of  disease.  Even  those  of 
them  who  realized,  as  we  so  fully  realize,  that 
the  soul-healing  is  vastly  above  anything  else 
in  importance,  would  not  have  thought  of 
pleading  for  the  greater  boon  without  the  less. 
Why  should  they,  why  should  we — when  Christ 
is  able  and  willing  to  give  us  both  ? 

How  surprised  and  dismayed  any  of  us 
would  be  were  we  to  read  in  the  Bible  that 
the  leper  importuned  Christ  to  heal  his  sinful 
soul,  and  yet  added  that  he  could  not  ask  for 
his  leprosy  to  be  cleansed,  as  that  would  be 
too  much  to  ask  of  Christ.  We  cannot  con- 


66  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

ceive  of  the  leper's  making  such  a  request 
when  within  reach  of  the  Saviour's  healing 
touch ;  and  if  such  a  desire  were  granted  him, 
can  we  help  thinking  that,  in  some  respects, 
the  spiritual  healing  must,  of  necessity,  be 
imperfect  ? 

And  yet  we  see  people  whose  conduct  is 
precisely  like  this ;  who  give  their  hearts  into 
Christ's  keeping,  but  think  the  healing  and 
keeping  of  their  bodies  would  be  too  much  to 
ask  of  Him,  and  that  they  can  manage  to 
attend  to  that,  themselves! 

That  the  plague  spots  on  the  body,  as  well 
as  on  the  heirt,  were  both  the  effects  of  the 
sin  from  which.  Christ  came  to  save  us,  our 
sinless  Saviour  knew,  and  He  would  not,  and 
did  not,  extend  complete  healing  to  the  one 
and  leave  the  other  in  bondage. 

O,  that  as  many  as  "have  knowledge"  of 
our  loving  Physician,  may  do,  as  did  those 
men  in  the  land  of  Gennesaret,  long  ago, 
who,  we  read,  "sent  out  into  all  that  country 
round  about,  and  brought  unto  Him  all  that 
were  diseased,  and  besought  Him  that  they 
mighf  only  touch  the  hem  of  His  garment, 


GOD'S    BLESSED    WILL.  67 

and  as  many  as  touched  were  made  perfectly 
whole." 

Let  us  notice  the  words  which  Christ  spoke 
to  the  poor  woman  of  Canaan,  when  she 
pleaded  with  such  humble  persistency,  for  the 
restoration  of  her  daughter :  "  Then  Jesus 
answered  and  said  unto  her,  O,  woman,  great 
is  thy  faith !  be  it  unto  thee  even  as  thoti 
wilt.  And  her  daughter  was  made  whole 
from  that  very  hour." 

Whenever,  by  faith,  we  approach  very  near 
our  Lord,  we  may  indeed  hear  His  voice  say- 
ing, u  Be  it  unto  thee  even  as  thou  wilt;"  for, 
in  that  comforting  nearness  to  Him,  we  are 
taught  His  will  for  our  souls  .and  bodies,  and, 
from  its  very  blessedness,  we  can  desire  no 
other.  "  If  ye  abide  in  me,  and  my  words 
abide  in  you,  ye  shall  ask  what  ye  will,  and  it 
shall  be  done  unto  you." — St.  John  xv:  7. 
And  looking  at  the  verse  following  this,  we 
learn  what  is  Christ's  will  for  us.  "Herein 
is  my  Father  glorified,  that  ye  bear  much 
fruit;  so  shall  ye  be  my  disciples." 

My  friends,  judge  for  yourselves :  is  it 
bearing  much  fruit  to  continue  to  be  bound 


68  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

by  sickness,  when,  if  we  would  accept  the 
healing  so  freely  offered  us,  we  might  work 
with  renewed  strength  in  His  vineyard. 

May  we  all  strive  to  understand  how 
beautiful  and  blessed  God's  will  is  for  His 
children,  and  thus  clear  away  the  unbelief 
with  which  Satan  binds  us,  in  body  and  soul. 
Not  until  we  are  freed  from  his  chains  and 
"loosed  from  our  infirmity,"  can  we  really 
know  what  it  is  to  exclaim  :  "  O,  the  glorious 
liberty  of  the  children  of  God!"  Are  there 
not  many  of  us  who  have  tried  to  raise  that 
shout,  and  have  felt  like  the  fettered  slave, 
to  whom  freedom  is  but  a  name?  But  the  lib- 
erty triumphantly  proclaimed  in  these  words, 
may  be  to  us  a  living  reality,  and  Christ  has 
said  :  "  If  the  Son  shall  make  you  free,  ye 
shall  be  free,  indeed." —St.  John  viii :  36. 

He  of  Whom  it  is  written,  "  Himself  took 
our  infirmities,  and  bare  our  sicknesses,"  has 
made  us  free  from  spiritual  and  physical 
sickness  if  we  will  but  accept  that  healing. 

Would  any  one  say  that  that  does  not  mean 
our  infirmities,  and  our  sicknesses,  just  as 
much  as  the  infirmities  of  those  people  whom 


GOD'S    BLESSED    WILL.  69 

Christ  healed,  when  He  was  on  the  earth? 
Did  He  suffer  agony  and  death  any  more  for 
them  than  for  us?  Hundreds  and  thousands 
of  years  can  make  no  difference  in  Him,  Who 
is  the  "same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever," 
and  all  the  benefits  of  His  loving  kindness 
and  tender  mercy  may  be  ours  to-day. 


70  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 


CHAPTER   V. 

ANOINTING     AND    CONSECRATION. 

WE  complain  that  our  faith  is  weak,  and 
that  our  prayers  are  lifeless,  but  it  is  no 
wonder  that  we  cannot  expect  answers  to  our 
prayers,  when  we  have  no  idea  of  fulfilling 
God's  conditions.  Can  you  conceive  what 
the  glorious  result  would  be,  if  each  one  of 
us,  from  this  moment,  strove  to  obey  every 
command  of  our  King? 

O,  we  are  satisfied  with  such  a  heedless, 
half-hearted  obedience,  such  as  we  would  not 
render  even  an  earthly  parent;  then  we  mur- 
mur and  are  inclined  to  think  secretly  that 
we  have  been  faithful,  and  God  has  not ! 

We  think  if  we  partly  fulfil  God's  com- 
mands, that  we  have  done  our  duty.  Most 
of  us  are  willing,  probably,  to  pray  for  our 
restoration  to  health,  as  far  as  that  is  con- 
cerned, and  some  of  us  are  willing  to  call  for 
the  ministers  or  "  elders  of  the  church"  (the 
word  "  elder "  was  originally  presbyter,  from 


ANOINTING    AND    CONSECRATION.  71 

which  our  word  priest  is  a  corruption)  to  pray 
with  us,  but  the  instructions  given  in  regard 
to  anointing  the  sick  person  with  oil,  we 
consider  quite  superfluous  and  do  not  think 
of  heeding  them. 

Just  here  we  must  bear  in  mind,  that  it  is 
not  for  us  to  mark  out  our  path  of  duty,  but 
to  follow  that  which  the  Lord  has  marked 
out  for  us ;  and  since  He  enjoins  the  use  of 
the  oil,  we  may  be  sure  that  He  has  a  wise 
purpose  in  so  doing.  How  glad  we  are  to 
heed  the  slightest  wish  of  a  dear  earthly 
friend,  whether  or  not  we  deem  it  of  impor- 
tance, and  how  much  more  ought  we  to  feel 
thus  toward  o-ur  Heavenly  Father,  whose  will, 
in  its  minutest  details,  is  always  important. 

Some  may  believe  that  the  anointing  spoken 
of  in  connection  with  healing  the  sick,  was 
merely  in  conformance  with  some  unimportant 
Jewish  custom,  but  its  significance,  if  we  in- 
quire into  it,  will  be  found  deep  and  pecu- 
liarly sacred.  It  is  not  simply  anointing  the 
sick  person  with  oil,  but  "  anointing  him  with 
oil  in  the  name  of  the  Lord"  Profane,  indeed, 
would  that  man  be,  who  dared  perform  an 


72  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

idle  or  meaningless  ceremony,  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord  of  Hosts;  and  if  we  search  the 
Scriptures  for  light  on  this  subject  of  sacred 
anointing,  we  shall  attach  a  deeper  meaning 
to  the  command  in  James  than  ever  before. 
Turning  to  the  book  of  Leviticus,  and 
reading  the  laws,  "which  were  a  shadow  of 
good  things  to  come,"  we  find  that  oil  was 
greatly  used  for  sacred  purposes,  especially 
for  anointing  the  priests  and  for  offering  it 
with  the  sacrifices. 

"  And  when  any  will  offer  a  meat  offering 
unto  the  Lord,  his  offering  shaH  be  of  fine 
flour,  and  he  shall  pour  oil  upon  it,  and  put 
frankincense  thereon."  This  is  only  one  of 
the  many  texts  which  refer  to  the  mingling  of 
o.l  with  the  sacrifices. 

Commenting  upon  the  frequent  use  of  oil 
in  olden  times,  a  learned  bishop  writes:  ''Oil 
was  anciently  in  very  high  esteem  among  the 
eastern  nations  on  various  accounts,  and  as 
they  were  wont  to  express  almost  every  matter 
of  importance  by  actions  as  well  as  words,  one 
way  of  setting  anything  apart  and  appropri- 
ating it  to  an  honorable  use,  was  by  anointing 


ANOINTING    AND    CONSECRATION.  73 

it  with  oil.  Therefore  we  find  Jotham,  in  his 
parable,  makes  the  olive  tree  speak  of  its 
fatness  as  that  '  wherewith  they  honor  God 
and  man.' — Judges  ix  :  9.  Accordingly  the 
tabernacle  and  temple  and  their  furniture 
were  consecrated  by  anointing  them.  And 
almost  every  sacrifice  had  oil  mixed  with 
flour  added  to  it  when  it  was  offered  up." 

Both  the  sacrifices  and  the  priests  were,  of 
course,  typical  of  Christ's  atonement  and 
Priesthood,  and  the  significance  of  the  typical 
anointing  is  made  clear  to  us  in  passages  like 
the  following  :  St.  Peter  says  :  That  word, 
I  say,  ye  know  *  *  *  how  God  anointed  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with 
power.  Who  went  about  doing  good  and 
healing  all  that  were  oppressed  of  the  devil, 
for  God  was  with  Him."  The  wonderful  and 
blessed  anointing  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  first 
poured  upon  Jesus  Christ,  and  then  through 
His  mediatorial  office,  shed  forth  on  His  faith- 
ful followers,  was  the  precious  fulfilling  of  the 
Levitical  foreshadowing. 

We  read  in  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah  :  '*  And 
it  shall  come  to  pass,  in  that  day,  that  his 


74  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

burden  shall  be  taken  away  from  off  thy 
shoulder,  and  his  yoke  from  off  thy  neck,  and 
the  yoke  shall  be  destroyed,  because  of  the 
anointing ." 

Deliverance  was  to  come,  because  of  this 
anointing  of  the  Holy  One,  and  Christ  him- 
self, quoting  from  this  same  prophet,  says: 
"  The  spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me,  because 
He  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  the  gospel  to 
the  poor,  He  hath  sent  me  to  heal  the  broken- 
hearted, to  preach  deliverance  to  the  captives 
and  recovering  of  sight  to  the  blind,  to  set  at 
liberty  them  that  are  bruised."  -St.  Luke 
iv:  1 8. 

Since  Christ's  righteousness  may  be  ours,  so 
this  anointing  of  the  Holy  Spirit  may  be  ours, 
by  faith  in  Him ;  as  we  read :  "Now  He  which 
stablisheth  us  with  you  in  Christ,  and  hath 
anointed  us  is  God."  And  again:  "  But  the 
anointing  which  ye  have  received  of  Him, 
abideth  in  you,  and  ye  need  not  that  any  man 
teach  you;  but  as  the  same  anointing  teacheth 
you  of  all  things,  and  is  truth  and  is  no  lie, 
and  even  as  it  hath  taught  you,  ye  shall  abide 
in  Him." 


ANOINTING    AND    CONSECRATING.  75 

And  this  brings  us  to  the  precious  signifi- 
cance of  the  anointing  of  the  sick  with  oil, 
when  prayer  is  offered  for  their  recovery ;  it  is 
the  outward  sign  of  the  inward  anointing 
which  is  to  heal  and  renew  the  soul  and  body. 
It  is  the  setting  apart  to  a  holy  use  of  the 
new  life  and  strength  imparted  by  the  Holy 
Spirit.  As  in  those  olden  times  the  tabernacle 
and  the  temple  and  their  furniture  were  con- 
secrated by  anointing  them  with  oil,  so  we 
may  consider  that  the  "  earthly  house  of  this 
tabernacle"  which  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  is  likewise  consecrated  as  "  holy  unto 
the  Lord." 

While  the  one  important  and  essential 
anointing  is  that  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  is  also 
important  and  very  comforting,  to  obey  God's 
command  concerning  the  anointing  with  oil. 

We  read  that  the  disciples,  when  they  were 
preaching  the  gospel  of  repentance,  "  anointed 
with  oil  many  that  were  sick,  and  healed 
them." 

Dr.  Cullis,  of  Boston,  fulfils  the  literal  com- 
mand and  anoints  the  forehead  of  the  sick 
person  with  oil,  when  he  can  be  present  with 


?  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

the  one  for  whom  he  is  praying.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Mix,  Rev.  Mr.  Allen  and  Mr.  Zeller,  all 
of  whom  have  been  very  successful  in  plead- 
ing for  the  restoration  of  the  sick,  also  anoint 
with  oil  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  Then,  if 
the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  to  be 
thoroughly  accomplished,  we  must  definitely 
and  solemnly  consecrate  every  power  of  soul 
and  body  to  the  Lord,  and  it  is  indeed  a 
glorious  privilege  to  belong  so  entirely  to  Him, 
that  there  will  be  no  hindrance  to  His  using 
us  in  His  blessed  service. 

What  indescribable  joy  it  is,  to  be  used  in 
this  way,  none  can  know  until  they  have  re- 
ceived God's  anointing  for  the  work;  but  if 
we  are  wholly  consecrated,  nothing  can  hinder 
the  anointing  of  the  Spirit,  for  He  will  seal  us 
with  the  "earnest  of  our  inheritance." 

"  Oh,  whac  a  life  is  theirs  who  live  in  Christ  ; 

How  vast  the  mystery, — 
Reaching  in  height  to  Heaven,  and  in  its  depth, 

The  unfatkomed  sea." 

When  Aaron  and  his  sons  were  ordained 
to  the  priesthood,  God  instructed  Moses  to 
"anoint  them  and  consecrate  them  and  sane- 


AN-OINTING    AND    CONSECRATION.  77 

tify  them,"  that  they  might  minister  unto  Him 
(Ex.  xxviii :  41),  and  we  shall  find  that  sanc- 
tification  may  be  made  ours,  as  well  as  the 
anointing  and  consecration. 

Following  the  footsteps  of  our  blessed 
Master,  we  are  to  present  ourselves  "a  living 
sacrifice;"  and  St.  Peter  says,  "Ye,  also,  as 
lively  stones,  are  built  up  a  spiritual  house,  a 
holy  priesthood,  to  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices, 
acceptable  to  God  by  Jesus  Christ." 

After  once  making  an  entire  consecration 
of  our  souls  and  bodies,  there  is  one  truth  to 
be  borne  in  mind,  which,  though  a  solemn  one, 
is  full  of  the  sweetest  comfort.  We  are  hence- 
forth and  forever  the  Lord's,  and  under  no 
pretext,  whatever,  shall  we  have  a  right  to 
take  back  the  gift  which  we  have  voluntarily 
laid  upon  the  Altar. 

Satan  will  try  to  persuade  us  that  the  Lord 
has  not  accepted  us,  or  that  we  have  not 
really  given  ourselves,  but  we  must  give  all 
such  dangerous  suggestions  to  our  Lord,  and 
ask  Him  to  conquer  them  for  us. 

"  Every  devoted  thing  is  most  holy  unto  the 
Lord  *  *  *  he  shall  not  search  whether  it  be 


"8  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

good  or  bad,  neither  shall  he  change  it. " — Lev. 
xxvii :  33.  We  need  not  search  our  hearts  to 
see  whether  they  are  worthy  or  unworthy  of 
God's  acceptance,  for  only  through  our 
Saviour  are  we  "  justified  by  faith,"  and  only 
by  His  Spirit  can  we  be  made  holy. 

Once  presented  unto   Him  we  are   his  for- 
ever, and  "  the  Altar  sanctifieth  the  gift." 

"  The  Lord,  the  everlasting  God, 

Is  our  defence  and  Rock  ; 
The  saving  health,  the  saving  strength, 
Of  His  anointed  flock." 


THE    USE    OF    MEDICINE.  79 


CHAPTER   VI. 

THE     USE    OF    MEDICINE. 

A  DEAR  friend  who  is  beginning  to  recog- 
nize her  precious  privilege  of  trusting  the 
Lord  for  all  her  needs,  wrote  me  not  long-- 
ago: "It  is  a  great  thing  to  trust  God  for 
everything,  and  still  I  am  growing  more  and 
more  to  feel  that  not  to  trust  Him  is  presump- 
tion." In  this  light  it  must  appear  to  every 
fully  consecrated  child  of  God,  who  has 
learned  by  faith,  His  blessed  will  for  us. 

But  how  different  are  the  opinions  of  those 
who  are  not  yet  acquainted  with  their  Lord's 
sweet  will,  and  who  think  it  is  almost  pre- 
sumption to  claim  His  promises,  especially 
this  promised  healing  of  the  body.  They 
feel  and  say  that  they  would  not  dare  ask  to 
be  healed  in  answer  to  prayer,  because  they 
must  be  submissive  and  bear  their  sickness 
patiently. 

Still  these  same  persons  would  doubtless 
have  no  scruples  in  seeking  for  remedies  with 


&0  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

which  to  prolong  life  or  even  effect  a  cure, 
and  if  raised  from  their  beds  of  sickness, 
would  have  no  question  about  its  having  been 
best  for  them  to  recover.  Doubtless,  all  of 
us  have  been  as  inconsistent  as  this  at  some 
time  in  our  lives,  even  if  we  have  since  been 
shown  our  errors,  and  brought  beyond  such 
a  narrow  range  of  vision.  If  we  have  not 
thought  it  wrong  to  seek  for  medicines  to 
deliver  us  from  the  bondage  of  sickness,  why 
should  we  fear  to  be  cured  by  the  "  prayer  of 
faith,"  that  more  perfect  healing  institution 
made  ours  by  Christ's  atonement  ? 

But  some  will  ask,  "  Ho\v  do  I  know  that  it 
is  not  my  time  to  die  ?  '  To  these  I  would 
say,  would  you  fear  to  take  medicine  lest  it 
might  be  your  time  to  die  ?  You  would  not 
be  afraid  of  the  medicine's  curing  you,  if  God 
willed  you  to  die,  neither  need  you  fear  that 
you  will  not  die  at  the  right  time  if  you  obey 
God's  instructions  and  have  the  "  prayer  of 
faith  "  offered  for  you.  With  the  prayer,  the 
anointing,  and  the  consecration,  would  come 
upon  your  soul  greater  power  of  the  Spirit 
than  you  had  ever  known  before,  and  He 


THE    USE    OF    MEDJCINE.  81 

would  reveal  to  you  if  God's  will  concerning 
your  body  was  any  different  from  that  in  His 
revealed  word.  "  Likewise  the  Spirit  also 
helpeth  our  infirmities;  for  we  know  not  what 
we  should  pray  for  as  we  ought;  but  the 
Spirit  itself  maketh  intercession  for  us  with 
groanings  which  cannot  be  uttered.  And  He 
that  searcheth  the  hearts  knoweth  what  is  the 
mind  of  the  Spirit,  because  He  maketh  inter- 
cession for  the  saints  according  to  the  will  of 
God."  Our  duty  is  to  obey  God's  commands, 
and  then  trustfully  leave  the  result  with  Him. 

We  most  of  us  know,  from  a  sad  experience, 
that  medicine  has  been  as  inadequate  to  meet 
the  needs  of  our  suffering  bodies,  as  the  moral 
law  has  been  insufficient  to  heal  and  cleanse 
our  souls.  Medicine  is  a  most  imperfect  in- 
stitution, as  all  remedial  influences  outside  of 
Christ,  are,  of  necessity,  imperfect,  because 
belonging  to  this  sin-stricken  world.  "  Every 
good  gift  and  every  perfect  gift  is  from  above, 
and  cometh  down  from  the  Father  of  lights, 
with  whom  is  no  variableness,  neither  shadow 
of  turning." 

Under   the    new    dispensation,    Christ,    the 


82  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

'  Great  Physician  of  the  soul,  has  promised 
to  be  the  Physician  of  the  body  also,  upon  the 
same  condition,  that  of  faith.  As  there  is  a 
vast  difference  between  the  child  of  God  and 
tlie  unbeliever,  so  I  cannot  but  think  that  our 
loving  Father  would  have  all  of  us  who  have 
consecrated  ourselves  as  "  holy  unto  the 
Lord,"  n.id  our  physical,  as  well  as  spiritual, 
healing  by  faith  in  Christ.  The  lessons  by 
which  we  are  withdrawn  further  and  further 
from  the  world,  and  from  dependence  on 
human  help,  teach  us  to  rely  more  on  our 
Saviour;  and  is  it  not  a  very  precious  thought, 
that  by  the  direct  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
we  may  be  healed,  renewed  and  energized  in 
body  as  in  soul  ? 

We  are  to  be  a  separate  and  peculiar  people, 
"  a  holy  people  unto  the  Lord,"  and  as  God 
instituted  for  Israel  of  old,  laws  and  privileges 
which  other  nations  did  not  enjoy,  so  it  is 
with  His  consecrated  children  now.  When- 
ever the  children  of  Israel  despised,  and  failed 
to  avail  themselves  of  their  peculiar  privileges, 
they  were  brought  into  affliction.  Let  us  ex- 
amine ourselves,  lest  we,  through  unbelief, 


THE    USE    OF    MEDICINE. 

reject  our  special  blessings,  and  so  grieve  our 
Heavenly  Father. 

"  There  is  life  for  a  look  at  the  crucified  One." 

We  have  only  to  look  at  Him  to  have  the 
bite  of  the  fiery  serpent  healed,  whether  the 
effect  of  its  venom  sin,  is  in  our  hearts,  or  on 
our  bodies. 

But  as  little  as  medicine  has  been  able  to 
benefit  us,  it  is  strange  how  some  of  us  cling 
to  it,  unwilling  to  give  it  up  even  after  the 
"prayer  of  faith'  has  been  offered  for  us. 
While  it  may  not  be  a  sin  of  itself  to  use 
medicine  when  we  are  looking  to  the  Lord 
for  healing,  it  often  encourages  the  sin  of 
unbelief,  and  is,  in  most  cases,  a  decided 
hindrance  to  the  complete  cure  which  our 
Physician  would  perform,  were  we  willing  to 
trust  Him  fully. 

Holding  on  to  the  medicine  certainly  im- 
plies a  lack  of  faith,  and  by  a  careful  and 
truthful  examination  of  the  motives  which 
lead  any  one  to  use  it,  after  prayer  has  been 
offered,  we  shall  see  that  most  of  them  pro- 
ceed from  the  sin  of  unbelief.  Are  there  not 


84  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

many  who  are  dimly  conscious  of  a  feeling 
that  if  they  gave  up  the  medicine,  the  Lord 
might  fail  to  keep  His  promise  ?  It  is  indeed 
a  sad  thing  if  we  are  afraid  that  He,  Who 
notes  each  tiny  sparrow,  will  fail  to  take  note 
of  us! 

Do  they  not,  in  their  unbelief,  desire  to  use 
at  least  some  simple  medicine,  that  they  may 
not  be  very  much  worse  off  if  God's  word 
should  fail?  If  Jehovah's  faithfulness  could 
fail,  in  whom  can  we  trust  ? 

We  are  all  apt  .to  invent  names  and  excuses 
for  our  unbelief,  but  if  we  delude  ourselves, 
we  cannot  deceive  God.  We  must  overcome 
these  subtle  temptations  by  declaring  that  our 
Strong  Helper  cannot  fail,  and  that,  if  He 
does,  we  are  ready  to  let  all  else  fail  with 
Him !  Satan  flees  before  a  conquering  trust 
like  that. 

In  2  Chron.  xvi :  12,  we  read:  "And  Asa 
in  the  thirty  and  ninth  year  of  his  reign  was 
diseased  in  his  feet,  until  his  disease  was  ex- 
ceeding great :  yet  in  his  disease  he  sought 
not  to  the  Lord,  but  to  the  physicians. 
And  Asa  slept  with  his  fathers."  This  is  a 


THE    USE    OF    MEDICINE.  85 

remarkable  passage,  and  shows  that  the  Lord 
makes  a  great  distinction  between  our  trust- 
ing in  Himself,  and  in  man  whom  He  has 
created. 

There  is  danger  in  putting  too  much  con- 
fidence in  our  fellow-beings,  for  by  so  doing 
we  look  away  from  God,  and  forget  to  rely 
on  Him.  With  sad  ignorance  and  foolish- 
ness, we  attribute  to  earthly  helpers  much  of 
the  power  which  belongs  alone  to  our  Creator, 
and  especially  do  we  see  this  true  when  we 
notice  the  homage  paid  to  skill  in  the  med- 
ical profession.  I  believe  that  some  of  our 
most  painful  lessons  are  necessary,  because 
we  stubbornly  refuse  to  recognize  God's  over- 
ruling providence  in  our  daily  lives. 

"  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  Cursed  be  the  man 
that  trusteth  in  man  and  maketh  flesh  his 
arm,  and  whose  heart  departeth  from  the 
Lord." — Jer.  xvii :  5. 

But  what  could  be  more  comforting  and 
assuring  than  the  passages  following:  'Blessed 
is  the  man  that  trusteth  in  the  Lord  and 
whose  hope  the  Lord  is.  For  he  shall  be  as 
a  tree  planted  by  the  waters  and  that 


86  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

spreadeth  out  her  roots  by  the  river,  and 
shall  not  see  when  heat  cometh,  but  her  leaf 
shall  be  green,  and  shall  not  be  careful  in 
the  year  of  drought,  neither  shall  cease  from 
yielding  fruit." — Jer.  xvii :  7,  8.  Do  you 
think  it  could  be  possible  for  us  to  trust  in 
the  Lord  too  much"?  Trusting  in  Him,  all 
our  needs  shall  be  supplied  from  an  inex- 
haustible source,  even  the  "fountain  of  living 
waters."  Others  fail  because  they  trust  only 
to  natural  resources,  but  if  we  trust  in  the  one 
Source  of  all  resources,  we  "  shall  not  be  care- 
ful in  the  year  of  drought,  neither  shall  cease 
from  yielding  fruit."  "My  God  shall  supply 
all  your  need,  according  to  His  riches  in 
glory,  by  Christ  Jesus." 

As  I  was  reading  the  seventh  chapter  of 
Judges,  I  noticed  a  marked  lesson  conveyed 
in  the  second  verse :  ;'  And  the  Lord  said 
unto  Gideon,  The  people  that  are  with  thee 
are  too  many  for  Me  to  give  the  Midianites 
into  their  hands,  lest  Israel  vaunt  themselves 
against  Me,  saying,  mine  own  hand  hath 
saved  me." 

The  folly  and  pride  of  human  nature  is 
still  in  danger  of  vaunting  itself  against  God, 


THE    USE    OF    MEDICINE.  87 

and  we  often  forget  to  say  with  sincere  hearts, 
"Thine  is  the  kingdom,  the  power  and  the 
glory."  Our  Lord  would  have  us  depend  so 
entirely  on  Himself,  that  all  who  witness  His 
mighty  works,  cannot  fail  of  ascribing  our 
deliverance  to  Him,  Who  alone  is  able  to 
fight  our  battles  for  us. 

When  we  give  up  all  else,  and  look  only  to 
His  power,  our  Physician  can  cure  us  speedily 
because  we  do  not  hinder  His  work  by 
dependence  on  the  "  wisdom  of  this  world," 
which  is  "foolishness  with  God." — i  Cor. 
iii :  19. 

The  Lord  refused  to  give  Israel  the  victory 
over  the  Midianites  until  He  had  deprived 
them  of  occasion  to  glory,  except  in  the 
power  of  the  Lord.  "  There  returned  of  the 
people  twenty  and  two  thousand,  and  there 
remained  ten  thousand,"  and,  even  then,  "the 
Lord  said  unto  Gideon,  The  people  are  yet 
too  many." 

Of  those  ten  thousand  remaining,  only 
three  hundred  were  chosen,  into  whose  hands 
the  Lord  would  deliver  the  Midianites. 

And  so  we  who  are  trusting  to  God  to 
gain  for  us  a  victory,  which  we  are  assured. 


88  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

from  repeated  failures,  no  human  power  could 
gain  for  us,  shall  find  that  He  will  not  con- 
quer our  enemies  for  us,  until  we  have  relin- 
quished our  hold  on  every  earthly  prop, 
which  might  cause  us  to  "  vaunt '  ourselves 
against  the  Lord. 

Those  who  have  become  so  accustomed  to 
aking  medicine,  and  especially  to  the  use  of 
opiates,  that  it  seems  impossible,  humanly 
speaking,  to  live  without  them,  and  who  are 
sighing  under  the  bondage,  will  read  the 
following  accounts  of  healing  in  this  chapter, 
with  renewed  hopes  of  deliverance. 

NORWICH,  CONN.,  November  sjd,  1879. 
DEAR  CHRISTIAN  FRIENDS: 

I  want  to  tell  you  what  the  Lord  has  done 
for  my  household.  For  over  twenty  years 
my  wife  was  addicted  to  the  use  of  laudanum, 
that  had  been  prescribed  by  a  physician,  and 
^he  thought  she  could  not  do  without  it.  I 
taxed  my  own  ingenuity,  to  its  utmost  extent, 
to  contrive  how  the  habit  might  be  broken ; 
but  all  to  no  avail.  The  doctors  tried  sub- 
'itutes  with  the  same  result.  In  1873,  in 


THE    USE    OF    MEDICINE.  89 

the  month  of  July,  I    went  to    a  camp-meet- 
ing at  Sea  Cliff,  L.  I. 

On  Tuesday,  the  president  of  the  meeting, 
Rev.  J.  S.  Inskip,  said :  "  This  morning  we 
will  have  a  faith  meeting."  A  large  number 
spoke  of  special  answers  to  prayer ;  the  presi- 
dent then  said:  "Now,  we  want  to  see  if 
this  God,  Whom  we  worship  here  to-day,  does 
answer  prayer.  All  of  you  who  have  petitions 
you  would  like  to  have  granted,  write  them, 
and  sign  your  names  and  places  of  residence, 
and  send  them  up  to  the  stand.  We  will  rea-d 
them,  withholding  the  name.  We  will  base 
these  petitions  on  the  promises  that  have  been 
read." 

I,  with  some  four  hundred  others,  sent  up 
our  petitions.  I  wrote :  "  For  a  wife  who  is 
addicted  to  the  use  of  opiates ;  that  the  habit 
may  be  broken,  and  she  soundly  converted." 
I  sent  the  petition  to  the  stand,  pledging  my- 
self to  pray  every  day  of  my  life  for  these 
petitions.  The  next  February  my  wife  was 
taken  sick.  She  had  been  using  opiates  a 
great  deal.  We  called  our  family  doctor  and 
he  prescribed  for  her.  On  this  day,  as  we 


THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

came  out  of  the  room  where  she  was  ill,  the 
bottle  of  laudanum  was  on  the  table  by  the 
door.  The  doctor  took  the  bottle  in  his  hand 
and  brought  it  out,  saying,  "  I  hope  to  God 
she  will  never  ask  for  that  again." 

And  she  never  has,  nor  has  she  ever  seen  it, 
to  my  knowledge,  for  I  have  it  locked  up. 
The  doctors  say  they  cannot  account  for  it, 
and  I  do  not  attempt  to,  otherwise  than  as 
God  has  answered  prayer. 

1  am  very  truly  yours  in  faith, 

TITUS  CARRIER. 

HINSDALE,  MASS.,  July  4th,  1880. 

Miss  JUDD  : 

You  wished  me  to  make  a  statement  of  my 
long  "Uness,  and  of  my  wonderful  cure.  I 
was  taken  sick  in  1875.  I  had  not  been  well 
all  winter,  but  kept  around  the  house  until 
March,  when  a  doctor  was  called.  Two  days 
after  he  came  to  see  me  I  was  unable  to  sit  up 
any,  on  account  of  the  pain  in  my  back.  I 
had  used  a  number  of  blisters  which  gave  me 
some  relief.  I  grew  worse,  and  three  weeks 
after  the  doctor  was  first  called,  he  wished  to 


THE    USE    OF    MEDICINE.  91 

consult  with  another  physician.  The  disease 
was  pronounced  inflammation  of  the  kidneys. 
All  kinds  of  medicine  were  tried.  I  soon  got 
so  I  could  keep  nothing  on  my  stomach,  and 
would  have  spells  of  vomiting,  every  few  mo- 
ments, for  days.  All  I  could  take  was  ice. 
My  head  pained  me  fearfully;  was  obliged  to 
keep  a  bag  of  ice  on  it  day  and  night. 
Leeches  were  tried  on  my  head  and  they  gave 
some  relief.  Doctors  from  other  towns  were 
called  ;  they  all  said  our  physician  was  doing 
all  that  could  be  done.  I  was  in  such  pain, 
and  could  take  no  medicine  in  my  stomach, 
so  the  doctor  began  to  inject  morphine  into 
my  veins.  I  seemed  to  gain  some  then ;  still 
my  back  was  very  bad  and  I  could  not  sit  up 
any.  1  he  doctor  carried  me  from  one  bed  to 
another.  I  had  used  over  fifty  blisters.  Some 
of  the  time  I  would  be  more  comfortable,  and 
the  doctor  would  think  I  would  be  able  to  sit 
up  a  little.  A  reclining  chair  was  bought 
and  he  put  me  in  it  a  few  times,  but  it  made 
me  worse. 

Mr.   and    Mrs.    Mix    came    to   see   me    the 
twenty-sixth  of  November,  1879.     I  was  then 


92  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

very  helpless,  could  eat  but  very  little,  was 
using  morphine  all  the  time.  After  prayer  fur 
my  healing  I  was  enabled  to  rise  up  in  bed, 
and,  with  a  little  assistance  from  Mrs.  Mix, 
walked  a.  few  feet  to  a  chair;  in  about  half  an 
hour  I  walked  back  to  the  bed  alone.  I  had 
been  in  the  habit  of  having  morphine  injected 
five  or  six  times  in  twenty-four  hours,  and  the 
doctor  said  it  would  kill  me  to  leave  it  off. 
But  in  answer  to  the  "  prayer  of  faith  '  I  was 
enabled  to  do  without  it  entirely.  I  am  quite 
strong,  now;  can  walk  half  a  mile  to  church 
and  back.  I  feel  that  I  cannot  thank  the 
Lord  enough  for  what  He  has  done  for  me. 

Yours  in  faith, 

MARY  E.   MACK, 


BELIEVING    GOD  S    WORD.  93 


CHAPTE  R    VII. 

BELIEVING    GOD'S    WORD. 

WHEN  we  have  fulfilled,  as  far  as  possible, 
the  command  given  in  the  fourteenth  verse  of 
the  fifth  chapter  of  James,  we  must  believe 
that,  according  to  the  Lord's  promise,  our 
disease  is  rebuked,  and  we  are  being  made 
whole. 

The  great  point  to  remember  just  here  is 
that  God's  word  is  true  and  we  must  believe 
it  in  spite  of  every  apparent  contradiction. 
These  contradictions,  if  they  occur,  can  be 
only  seeming  ones,  for  God  is  always  faithful ; 
but  the  devil,  who  is  the  father  of  lies,  often 
deceives  us  into  believing  feelings  and  cir- 
cumstances instead  of  God's  word. 

We  have  a  lesson  about  this  in  Christ's 
healing  of  the  nobleman's  son.  When  this 
nobleman  "  heard  that  Jesus  was  come  out  of 
Judea  into  Galilee,  he  went  unto  Him  and 
besought  Him  that  He  would  come  down  and 
heal  his  son,  for  he  was  at  the  point  of  death. 


O4  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

"  Then  said  Jesus  unto  him,  Except  ye  seesigtis 
andwond'ts  ye  will  not  believe." 

This  is  apt  to  be  the  case  with  us.  When 
prayer  is  offered  for  our  healing  we  are  un- 
willing to  believe,  unless  we  feel  some  wonder- 
ful power,  or  extraordinary  sensation.  That 
such  sensations  are  often  experienced  in  con- 
nection with  faith-healing  we  admit,  but  many 
times  they  are  not,  and  we  are  required  .to 
believe  God's  word  before  we  see  "signs  and 
wonders."  There  are  diversities  of  operations , 
but  it  is  the  same  God  which  worketh  all  in 
all."— i  Cor.  xii:  6. 

It  is  for  us  to  believe  God's  word,  without 
deeming  it  needful  to  look  to  anything  else 
for  confirmation  of  that  word.  God's  word 
confirms  itself. 

This  nobleman,  feeling  the  urgency  of  the 
case,  and  realizing  that  his  son  was  near 
death,  immediately  renewed  his  pleading : 
"Sir,  come  down  ere  my  child  die."  The 
faith  which  dared  to  press  its  cause  so  earn- 
estly and  yet  so  humbly,  was  rewarded  by  the 
answer,  "Go  thy  way;  thy  son  liveth."  The 
father  had  now  simply  to  believe  Christ's 


BELIEVING    GOD  S    WORD 

word ;  there  was  nothing  else  to  which  he 
could  cling,  for  he  could  not  immediately  see 
his  son,  to  remark  whether  his  condition  was 
really  bettered  or  not;  no  visible  means  had 
been  employed  for  his  restoration ;  the  father 
must  believe  that  his  son  was  recovering  be- 
cause Jesus  had  spoken ;  and  His  word  was 
true. 

What  a  lesson  is  this  to  us !  We  must  be- 
lieve that  Christ  fulfils  His  promises  just  as 
soon  as  we  claim  them  in  His  name,  even 
before  we  can  see  any  earthly  circumstances 
to  warrant  us  in  our  belief.  So  many  of  us 
have  yet  to  learn,  how  different  is  faith  from 
sight. 

We  read,  "  And  the  man  believed  the  word 
that  Jesus  had  spoken  unto  him,  and  he  went 
his  way."  Would  not  some  of  us  have 
doubted  the  cure,  until  we  met  the  servant 
who  bore  the  glad  tidings  of  his  recovery  ? 
So  sad,  but  true,  it  is,  that  we  would  receive 
the  witness  of  our  fellow-beings,  and  not  that 
of  our  Creator. 

One  great  step  toward  gaining  the  victory 
is  to  believe  that  we  have  the  blessing  for 


96  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

which  we  pray  ;  not  that  we  shall  have  if  at 
some  indefinite,  future  time,  but  that  it  belongs 
to  us  just  as  soon  as  we  have  fulfilled  the  con- 
dition, and  asked  for  it  in  Jesus'  name. 
Christ  said  :  "  What  things  soever  ye  desire 

o  j 

when  ye  pray,  believe  tJiat  ye  receive  them,  and 
ye  shall  have  them."  —St.  Mark  xi :  24. 

What  would  be  the  state  of  our  mind  if  we 
believed  that  the  things  we  asked  for  were 
really  ours  ?  We  should  not  certainly  think 
it  necessary  to  ask  for  them  over  and  over 
again ;  but  we  should  immediately  drop  all 
anxiety  about  the  matter,  and  be  filled  with 
thanksgiving.  Our  attitude  of  pleading  would 
be  changed  to  one  of  sure  expectation,  and 
we  would  wait  joyfully  for  the  gift  which  we 
knew  had  already  been  bestowed  upon  us. 
We  can  vanquish  Satan  by  saying,  "  What  I 
desire  is  mine  according  to  God's  promise, 
even  if  I  do  not  yet  see  that  I  have  it.  I  be- 
lieve God's  word,  not  circumstances,  and  I 
shall  soon  see  that  the  blessing  is  mine,  by 
having  it  really  in  possession." 

If  an  earthly  friend  told  us  we  might  have 
some  object  just  for  Ike  asking,  we  should 


BELIEVING    GOD'S    WORD.  97 

have  no  doubt  that  it  was  ours,  even  before 
we  had  finished  making  the  request.  Whether 
or  not  it  was  immediately  placed  in  our  hands, 
we  should  believe  it  to  be  ours,  and  should 
make  our  calculations  the  same  as  if  it  were 
within  our  grasp. 

If  we  set  out  with  the  idea  that  we  cannot 
believe  God's  word  is  fulfilled  in  us,  unless 
our  feelings  immediately  confirm  it,  we  shall 
be  "like  a  wave  of  the  sea,  driven  with  the 
wind  and  tossed,"  and  the  apostle  says,  "let 
not  that  man  think  that  he  shall  receive  any- 
thing of  the  Lord." — Jas.  i :  6,  7. 

I  was  talking  to  an  invalid  about  this,  not 
long  ago,  and  she  saw  instantly  how  Satan  had 
been  deceiving  her.  "I  see  !  "  she  exclaimed  ; 
"  I  did  not  wait  for  my  feelings  to  believe  that 
Jesus  saved  me  from  my  sins,  but  I  have  been 
waiting  for  my  feelings  before  I  would  believe 
that  He  answered  my  prayers,  and  was  curing 
me  of  sickness.  When  people  have  asked  how 
I  was,  I  would  tell  them  I  was  no  better,  and 
so  I  have  been  making  God  a  liar.  I  thank 
Him  for  this  light !  " 

We  are  not,  of  course,  to  say  that  we  fee/: 


98  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH, 

better,  unless  we  do,  but  we  may  state  the  fact 
that  we  are  being  made  whole,  on  the  author- 
ity of  God's  word.  His  word  is  sure,  and  if 
we  determine  to  rely  on  that,  and  that  alone, 
our  position  is  secure,  and  no  wind  of  adverse 
circumstance  can  cause  us  to  waver. 

Another  wonderful  help  to  this  life  of  faith, 
is  to  believe  that  every  petition  we  offej  in 
Christ's  name  will  be  heard  and  answered. 
Trust  to  God's  time  and  God's  way  of  answer- 
ing, but  believe  that  we  already  have  the 
answer  to  the  faintest  prayer  uttered  in  that 
dear  name.  Consider  each  as  an  important 
document,  because  bearing  that  name  of 
power,  and  lay  them  all,  by  an  act  of  faith,  in 
God's  keeping,  with  the  surety  that  He  will 
not  forget  them,  if  we,  with  our  short  memo- 
ries, do ;  and  He  will  bring  to  our  mind  each 
prayer,  with  its  fulfilment,  at  the  right  time. 
This  is  such  a  blessed  way ;  then  we  shall 
have  no  anxiety  about  any  of  our  prayers,  for 
we  shall  know  that  every  one  is  regarded  and 
remembered  by  the  Father,  because  He  will 
not  pass  by  the  name  of  His  dearly  loved 
Son. 


BELIEVING    GOD'S    WORD.  99 

I  remember  once  making  a  remark  to  a 
dear  friend,  which,  because  it  involved  some- 
thing of  a  compliment  to  herself,  she  laugh- 
ingly refused  to  credit.  Upon  my  asking, 
half  reproachfully,  if  she  could  not  trust  my 
word,  she  gave  me  an  answer  which  has  since 
taught  me  a  lesson  in  regard  to  faith.  'Yes," 
she  said,  "I  do  believe  you,  and  whenever ^« 
say  anything,  I  will  believe  every  word  of  it, 
even  if  it  isn't  so ! ' 

Our  faith  in  God  must  be  so  steadfast  that 
even  if  the  evidence  of  all  our  senses  should 
deny  His  word,  we  must  consider  them  as 
deceiving  us,  and  still  continue  to  uphold  His 
faithfulness.  Such  faith  as  that  never  fails  to 
remove,  sooner  or  later,  the  mountain  of 
difficulty  or  doubt.  It  is  too  true  that  we 
often  place  such  confidence  in  our  poor,  weak 
fellow-creatures,  and  yet  refuse  to  have  faith 
in  God.  When  we  have  faith  in  dear  earthly 
friends,  we  will  believe  nothing  contrary  to 
their  word,  even  if  there  are  many  circum- 
stances against  them.  Beloved,  there  is  only 
One  whose  word  never  fails ;  let  us  repose 
such  trust  in  Him,  and  "nothing  shall  be 
imporsible"  unto  us. 


10O  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

There  is  a  simple  test  which,  in  many  cases, 
we  may  apply  to  our  conduct,  which  will 
speedily  convince  us  whether  or  not  we  are 
really  believing  that  our  prayers  are  answered, 
and  that  is,  to  act  out  our  faith.  Whatever 
we  really  believe,  we  are  ready  to  act  in 
accordance  with.  I  have  heard,  through  good 
authority,  of  a  lady  who  was  obliged  for  many 
years  to  use  crutches,  because  one  foot  was 
so  disabled  that  she  could  not  step  upon  it. 
One  Sunday  morning,  as  she  was  going  slowly 
and  painfully  to  church,  the  promises  came 
forcibly  to  her  mind,  and  she  was  impressed 
to  pray  for  the  healing  of  her  foot.  Imme- 
diately the  thought  came  to  her,  "  If  I  really 
believe  that  God  has  answered  my  prayer,  my 
foot  is  well,  and  I  can  walk  upon  it  as  upon 
the  other."  She  pressed  it  firmly  to  the 
ground,  in  spite  of  the  most  crushing  pain, 
and  tried  to  walk  rapidly  along  without  the 
aid  of  her  crutches.  Paying  no  regard  to  the 
pain,  which,  for  a  few  moments,  was  intense, 
she  said  constantly,  "  I  am  healed,  according 
to  God's  promise."  Before  she  reached  the 
church,  her  foot  ceased  paining  her,  and  she 
realized  that  it  was  as  whole  as  the  other. 


BELIEVING    GOD  S    WORD.  IO1 

This  principle  of  faith-healing  is  shown  in 
the  account  of  the  cleansing  of  the  ten  lepers. 
Think  of  the  faith  they  were  required  to 
exercise  in  order  to  obey  Christ's  command, 
"Go  shew  yourselves  unto  the  priests."  This, 
they  knew,  it  would  be  of  no  use  to  do  unless 
they  were  cleansed  before  the  searching  ex- 
amination of  the  priests  took  place,  but  relying 
on  Christ's  power  and  mercy,  they  went  as  He 
had  commanded.  Unbelief  would  have  pre- 
vented them  from  even  starting  until  they  saw 
that  the  cleansing  had  been  accomplished,  but 
they  accepted  the  blessing  in  faith,  acting 
faith,  and  it  was  soon  given  them  in  reality. 
'  For  it  came  to  pass  that  as  they  went  they 
were  cleansed." 

I  will  relate  an  instance  which  a  corres- 
pondent of  mine  wrote  me  not  long  ago.  She 
says:  'Last  Sunday  morning  I  was  asked 
whether  I  were  going  to  church.  Not  feeling, 
as  I  thought,  able,  I  answered,  "No."  Then 
one  who  is  not  a  Christian,  said,  "  Is  it  not 
the  Christian's  duty  to  sacrifice  his  feelings  ?  " 
I  simply  said  "  Yes/'  and  made  up  my  mind  to 
go.  I  knew  I  could  not  in  my  own  strength. 


102  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

As  the  church  is  a  long  distance  from  our 
home,  I  usually  went  in  a  buggy  with  a  high 
back  to  it,  but  this  time  was  compelled  to  ride 
in  one  without  any  back,  and  the  road  was 
very  rough.  As  I  went  down  the  front  steps 
I  felt  so  weak  that  I  feared  I  should  have  to 
go  back,  but  I  asked  the  Lord  continually  to 
help  me.  While  at  church  I  felt  that  I  was 
resting ;  returned  home,  and  felt  much  better 
for  having  gone.  I  made  the  effort  and  left 
the  result  with  God.  All  glory  be  to  His 
name  for  the  strength  He  gave  me  ! ' 

Should  increased  suffering  come  to  us,  after 
prayer  has  been  offered  for  our  healing,  we 
must  believe  that  it  is  because  of  the  healing 
power  which  is  making  us  whole. 

It  will  give  us  comfort  to  consider  the 
experience  of  the  lunatic  whom  Christ  healed. 
Immediately  after  Jesus  commanded  the  devil 
to  come  out  of  the  r.hild,  we  read  that  ''the 
spirit  cried  and  rent  him  sore,  and  came  cut 
of  him,  and  he  was  as  one  dead,  insomuch 
that  many  said,  he  is  dead.>!' 

This  shows,  that  in  some  cases,  the  healing 
in  answer  to  prayer  may  not  be  apparent  at 


BELIEVING    GOD  S    WORD.  103 

once.  The  spirit  of  disease  may,  in  its  exit 
from  our  tormented  bodies,  u  rend  us  sore," 
and  prostrate  us  more  than  ever  for  a  time. 
But  shall  this  make  us  believe  for  a  moment 
that  God  is  failing  to  keep  His  word  ?  as  if 
that  word  which  upholds  the  universe  could 
fail !  Let  us  be  ready  even  to  rejoice  if 
increased  pain  and  weakness  are  ours  after 
prayer  has  been  offered,  feeling  sure  that  it  is 
the  departing  struggle  of  the  disease  which 
Jesus  has  rebuked. 

There  is  one  point  which  it  is  necessary  to 
have  positively  settled  when  we  first  seek  our 
Great  Physician  for  healing,  and  that  is  how 
long  we  intend  to  trust  Him.  If  we  go  ex- 
perimentally, thinking  to  confide  ourselves  to 
His  care  for  a  limited  time,  or  until  we  see 
whether  or  not  we  receive  the  desired  blessing, 
we  are  encouraging  unbelief,  and  placing  our- 
selves in  a  position  to  receive  constant  assaults 
from  the  enemy.  But  if  we  give  our  souls  and 
bodies  into  Christ's  loving  keeping,  and  decide 
once  for  all  to  leave  them  there;  if  we  deter- 
mine that  by  His  grace  nothing  shall  shake 
our  confidence  in  Him,  who  is  our  Strong 


104  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

Tower,  then  our  faith  will  be  steady  and 
victorious. 

We  shall  then  have  no  anxiety  as  to  the 
result,  for  knowing  that  our  all-wise  Physician 
cannot  make  mistakes,  our  conquering  belief 
in  Him  will  justify  all  His  providences,  how- 
ever mysterious,  Satan  may,  at  times,  make 
them  appear  to  us.  We  must  be  willing  to 
stake  our  own  reputation  for  truth,  upon  God's 
faithfulness,  even  willing  to  be  found  a  liar  to 
prove  His  truth.  "  Yea,  let  God  be  true  and 
every  man  a  liar,  as  it  is  written,  That  Thou 
mightest  be  justified  in  Thy  sayings,  and 
mip-htest  overcome  when  Thou  art  judged." — 
Romans  iii :  3  But,  oh,  remember  !  that  no 
one  ever  trusted  in  Him  and  was  confounded. 

The  Lord  says,  "  They  shall  not  be  ashamed 
that  wait  for  me." — Isaiah  xlix  :  23. 

"  Faith's  beacon  light, 

Like  star  at  night, 
Pours  forth  its  Heavenly  rays  ; 

Bids  darkness  flee, 

Illumes  life's  sea, 
And  justifies  God's  ways." 


<JOD.  105 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

GLORIFYING    GOD. 

WE  must  beware  lest  we  lose  the  blessing 
after  it  is  once  ours,  by  fearing  to  proclaim 
the  victory  until  the  battle  is  more  fully  won. 
"  I  will  wait  and  see  if  it  is  really  going  to 
last,  before  I  tell  others  what  God  has  done 
for  me,"  says  unbelief,  and  because  some  of 
us  yield  to  this  temptation  of  Satan,  we  lose 
what  we  have  gained. 

Meet  the  tempter  with  the  unanswerable 
truth  that  God  cannot  fail,  and  what  He  has 
begun  He  will  finish.  We  say,  perhaps,  that 
we  know  God  cannot  fail,  but  our  faith  might. 
Resolve  that  by  His  grace  it  must  rot,  it  shall 
not  fail.  We  shall  be  strengthening  our  faith, 
and  getting  beyond  the  possibility  of  a  defeat, 
if  we  proclaim  God's  power  and  mercy,  and 
the  mighty  works  we  are  trusting  Him  to 
accomplish. 

If  we  allow  our  unbelief  to  prevent  God's 
gracious  work  from  going  on  after  we  have 


106  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

called  Him  as  our  Physician,  we  are  dishonor- 
ing His  holy  name;  we  are  not  merely  letting 
go  of  the  blessing  we  desire,  but  we  are  giving 
occasion  to  the  Lord's  enemies  to  say  that  He 
is  not  able  to  perform  that  which  He  has 
promised.  We  should  remember  about  cer- 
tain people  we  read  of  in  the  Bible,  who  were 
so  unbelieving,  that  Jesus  could  do  no  mighty 
work  among  them.  We  must  desire,  above 
all  else,  that  God  shall  be  glorified  in  us,  and 
that  His  faithfulness  shall  be  declared  to  all 
the  world. 

A  friend  wrote  me  in  a  recent  letter:  "I 
know,  many  times,  unbelief,  or  failing  to  ac- 
knowledge blessings  already  received  (for 
instance,  encouragement  in  prayer,  or  partial 
alleviation  of  pain  or  distress),  often  hinders 
our  receiving  the  great  blessings  the  Lord  has 
for  us.  If  we  only  have  perfect  obedience, 
and  perfect  faith,  or  confidence,  there  is  no 
failure.  We  must  trust  our  blessed  Saviour 
fully."  .......-' 

Doubt  is  fatal  to  faith.  Jesus  says,  "  Who- 
soever *  *  *  shall  not  doubt  in  his  heart,  but 
shall  believe  that  those  things  which  he  saith, 


GLORIFYING    GOD.  107 

shall  come  to  pass,  he  shall  have  whatsoever 
he  saith  '  And  again,  "  Verily,  I  say  unto 
you,  if  ye  have  faith  and  doubt  not,  ye  shall 
not  only  do  this  which  is  done  to  the  fig  tree, 
all  things  whatsoever  ye  ask  in 
prayer,  believing,  ye  shall  receive." 

When  we  have  made  every  effort  to  believe, 
and  have  acted  out  our  faith  as  far  as  possible, 
it  is  sometimes  the  dear  Lord's  will  not  to 
give  us,  at  once,  the  blessings  which  we  know 
we  have  claimed  by  faith.  But  we  must  not 
let  anything  make  us  doubt,  for  any  waiting 
on  His  part,  to  give  us  according  to  our  faith, 
is  productive  of  the  highest  good.  He  alone 
knows  how  precious  is  the  trial  of  our  faith, 
"  being  much  more  precious  than  of  gold  that 
perisheth."  But  notice,  it  is  not  the  trying 
of  our  unbelief,  but  the  trying  of  our  faith 
which  "  worketh  patience,"  and  if  our  faith 
dissolves  itself  in  doubts,  there  will  be  no 
precious  metal  to  shine  the  clearer  from  the 
fire. 

Let  me  say  one  word  about  Satan's  decep- 
tions in  regard  to  doubting  We  must  re- 
member that  temptations  to  doubt  are  not  sin 


IOS  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

unless  we  yield  to  them  ;  but  if  we  do  not 
turn  instantly  from  the  enemy's  first  suggestion 
to  doubt,  it  is  almost  as  fatal  as  giving  up  to 
him  at  once.  The  most  he  wants  is  that  we 
shall  argue  with  him,  and  then,  of  course,  he 
will  drag  us  into  mires  and  quicksands.  We 
must  remain  on  the  solid  Rock.  God  will 
conquer  all  temptations  if  we  take  them  at 
once  to  Him,  and  confess  how  powerless  we 
are,  of  ourselves,  to  subdue  the  enemy.  'With 
us  is  the  Lord  our  God  to  help  us  and  to  fight 
our  battles." 

Even  if  we  feel  that  we  are  "beginning  to 
sink,"  as  did  Peter,  we  have  only  to  utter  one 
cry  for  help,  and  our  Lord  is  at  our  side. 
Peter's  prayer  was  very  short ;  only  the  words, 
'Lord,  save  me  !  '  but  help  was  near  him,  and 
it  is  always  near  to  us,  if  we  will  ask  for  it. 
';And  immediately  Jesus  stretched  forth  His 
hand,  and  caught  him  and  said  unto  him, 
O,  thou  of  little  faith,  wherefore  didst  thou 
doubt?" 

In  that  strong,  sure  upholding,  well  might 
Peter's  faith  revive  ;  and  oh,  thank  the  Lord  ! 
He  is  just  as  ready  to  hold  each  one  of  us 


TRR 

GLORIFYING    GOD.  IO.9FORN\N, 

~^~~~- 

to-day.     "Thou  hast  a  mighty  arm  :  strong  is 
Thy  hand,  and  high  is  Thy  right  hand." 

"  I  am  so  weak,  dear  Lord,  I  cannot  stand 

One  moment  without  Thee  ; 
But  oh,  the  tenderness  of  Thine  enfolding ! 
And  oh,  the  faithfulness  of  Thine  upholding  ! 
And  oh,  the  strength  of  Thy  right  hand — 
That  strength  is  enough  for  me." 

Ill  close  connection  with  doubt,  there  is 
ingratitude  to  guard  against  There  was  only 
one  of  the  ten  lepers  that  Jesus  healed,  wl  o 
turned  back  to  glorify  God,  "and  he  was  a 
Samaritan."  This  last  fact  is  particularly  re- 
corded, because  the  people  of  Samaria  were 
considered  opposers  of  the  true  religion:  As 
a  learned  commentator  expresses  it,  "In  the 
eyes  of  a  Jew,  the  imputation  of  being  a 
Samaritan  was  the  most  reproachful  possible. 
The  term  included  everything  that  was  odious 
and  despicable/'  That  this  "stranger,"  as 
Jesus,  with  mildness  and  benignity,  termed 
him,  should  turn  back  to  worship  his  Saviour, 
and  render  thanks  for  the  great  blessing  just 
received,  while  his  companions,  who  were  prob- 
ably veritable  descendants  of  Israel,  went  heed- 
lessly on  their  way,  is  indeed  a  matter  of  remark 


110  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

If  our  conduct  is  similar  to  that  of  the  un- 
grateful nine,  is  it  not  because  our  affections 
are  centered  more  on  some  earthly  blessing 
than  on  the  Divine  Giver,  and  in  our  delight 
over  some  earthly  gift,  we  set  at  naught  the 
one  "Pearl  of  great  price"?  And  when  pro- 
fessing Christians  are  remiss  in  what  should 
be  their  most  pleasurable  of  duties,  that  of 
glorifying  God  "with  a  loud  voice,"  so  that 
those  outside  of  the  fold  may  hear  of  His 
mercies,  God  will  often  raise  up  those  who 
have  been  "strangers'1  to  the  true  Israel,  to 
sound  praises  to  His  faithfulness. 

A  truly  consecrated  heart  will  desire  God's 
glory  above  everything  else,  and  will  rejoice 
in  its  Saviour  far  more  than  in  any  of  His 
gifts,  precious  as  they  may  be. 

"  For  if  thou  not  to  Him  aspire, 

But  to  His  gifts  alone, 
Not  love,  but  covetous  desire, 

Has  brought  thee  to  His  throne. 
While  such  thy  prayer,  it  climbs  above 

In  vain, — the  golden  key 
Of  God's  rich  treasure  house  of  love 

Thine  own  will  never  be." 


GLORIFYING    GOU.  Ill 

When  the  cleansed  leper  returned  to  give 
glory  to  Jesus,  he  received  a  second  blessing, 
which  his  companions  had  forfeited  by  their 
ingratitude.  "And  He  said  unto  him,  Arise, 
go  thy  way:  thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole." 
He  had  recognized  Jesus  as  his  Redeemer, 
and  his  faith  in  Him  had  made  him  whole  in 
soul  as  well  as  in  body. 

God  grant,  my  dear  friends,  that  we  shall 
not  refuse  to  give  glory  to  God's  name,  but 
that  we  may  return  to  Him  at  once  with 
joyful  praises,  and  realize  that  we  are  healed, 
spiritually  as  well  as  physically,  when  we  hear 
His  sweet,  assuring  voice,  "  Arise,  go  thy  way  : 
thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole."  And  will 
not  our  way  then,  on  which  He  bids  us  go,  be 
a  clear  way  and  a  blessed  way  ?  He  will 
make  every  step  of  it  plain  to  us,  and  we  shall 
travel  it  with  rejoicing,  for  the  Lord  *'  pre- 
serveth  the  way  of  His  saints." 


112  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

VICTORY    THROUGH    CHRIST. 

IN  this  chapter  is  given  the  experience  of  a 
dear  sister,  who  has  been  brought  triumphantly 
through  the  conflict,  by  the  conquering  might 
of  her  Lord ;  and  before  my  dear  readers 
listen  to  the  recital  of  her  long  illness  and 
wonderful  deliverance,  I  believe  that  they  will 
be  interested  in  a  sweet  little  poem,  which 
she  composed  when  she  had  no  thought  of 
being  freed  from  her  suffering,  except  by 
death.  To  all  those  who  are  still  helpless, 
these  little  verses  will  be  a  song  attuned  to 
their  own  heart-longings. 

LOST,    THE    SOUND    OF    FOOTSTEPS. 
BY  ALICE   M.    BALL. 

Lost,  the  sound  of  footsteps — my  own   footsteps  ;  just 

once  more 

Do  I  long  to  hear  the  music  of  my  feet  upon  the  floor  ; 
Dream  I  of  the  days,  now  vanished,  when  my  lips  first 

learned  to  talk, 
Of  the  mother's  love  that  fondly  taught  a  little  child  to 

walk  : 


VICTORY    THROU.GH    CHRIST.  113 

In  the  silence  that  surrounds  me,  tired  of  silence,  tired 

of  pain, 
Do  I  long  for  hands  to  guide  me,  till  I've  learned  to 

walk  again. 

Lost,  the  sound  of  footsteps  ;  how  the  days  have  come 
and  gone, 

And  my  steps,  forever  silenced,  wake  no  echo  in  our 
home. 

Music  floats  about  me,  sweetly  wafted  on  the  air, 

And  the  hum  of  merry  voices  sounds  about  me  every- 
where, 

While  I  fondly  long  for  music,  that  can  be  mine  never- 
more— 

Just  the  music  of  my  footsteps — my  own  footsteps  on 
the  floor. 

Lost,  the  sound  of  footsteps  ;  and  I  wait,  day  after  day, 
In  the  midst  of  this  long  silence,  where  the  Master  bids 

me  stay, 
And  dream  of  spacious  meadows,  where  my  child  feet 

used  to  roam  ; 
Of  the  foot-prints  left  so  often  on  the  graveled  walks 

at  home. 
Does  the  Father  know  how  restless  our  weak  human 

feet  may  grow, 
•And  does  He  guide  them  just  as  safely,  when  they  lie 

in  shadows  so  ? 


114  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

Lost,  the  sound  of  footsteps  ;  when  the  soul's  work  here 

is  done, 
When  the  gates  of  Heaven  are  opened,  and  our  Father 

bids  me  come 
From  this  silent  so  unbroken  by  the  tread  of  human 

feet, 
Over    where    immortal    footsteps    echo   on    the   golden 

street, 
Then,  till  then,  dear  Father,  teach  me,  that  through  all 

these  fearful  depths, 
In  the  silence  that  surrounds  me,  Thou  art  guiding  still 

my  steps  ; 
And  when  life  for  me  is  over,  even  in  Heaven,  may  I 

once  more 
Hear  again  the  sound  of  footsteps,  my  own  footsteps 

on  the  floor  ? 

PlTTSFIELD,  MASS., 

VALLEY  FARM,  Jtme  22d,  iSSo. 

MY  DEAR  CARRIE  : 

I  consider  it  a  privilege  to  give,  what  you 
have  asked,  the  story  of  my  release  from 
bondage  in  answer  to  the  "prayer  of  faith"; 
bondage  that  was  dark,  deep  and  mysterious, 
and  of  eighteen  years  duration.  Two  months 
previous  to  my  twelfth  birthday,  I  was  taken 
sick  at  school,  with  what  shortly  proved  to  be 
an  attack  of  measles.  I  was  not  dangerously 


VICTORY    THROUGH    CHRIST.  115 

ill,  and  as  soon  as  could  be  expected,  I  was 
about  the  house,  apparently  my  former  healthy, 
happy  self.  But  the  first  ride  I  attempted 
after  the  illness,  brought  on  a  sort  of  nervous 
spasm,  of  short  duration,  but  sufficiently  dif- 
ferent from  anything  I  had  ever  experienced 
before,  to  prove  that  all  was  not  well.  For 
six  months  I  was  able  to  take  long  walks,  eat 
and  sleep  well,  but  steadily  creeping  upon  me 
I  felt  those  strange  inexplicable  nervous  feel- 
ings, that  changed  life,  and  my  desires  con- 
cerning it.  During  the  following  two  years  I 
had  severe  sick  spells,  from  which  I  would 
rally,  after  awhile,  with  strong  holds  upon 
hope,  but,  at  length,  so  thoroughly  had  disease 
overpowered  me,  I  was  obliged  to  succumb, 
and  awful  suffering  and  depression  it  was  my 
lot  to  bear.  Shortly  after  my  removal  here, 
began  a  contest  between  sickness  and  health, 
life  and  death,  which  it  is  neither  pleasant, 
nor  profitable,  to  attempt  to  describe. 

What  I  have  suffered,  hoped,  and  feared,  it 
is  beyond  my  power  to  tell.  Many  physicians 
have  attended  my  case,  but  although,  in  some 
instances,  temporary  relief  has  been  obtained, 


Il6  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

nothing  permanent  has  been  granted,  except 
the  knowledge  that,  in  my  case,  "  vain  is  the 
help  of  man." 

After  the  summer  of  1867  I  was  confined 
wholly  to  the  house,  and  mostly  to  my  bed, 
being,  very  frequently,  for  days  at  a  time, 
utterly  unable  to  lift  my  head  from  the  pillow, 
or  be  moved  the  least  particle  without  agony. 
During  the  summer  of  1868,  under  the  careful 
treatment  of  Dr.  A.  M.  Smith,  of  this  city,  I 
was  much  relieved  of  spinal  and  nervous 
trouble,  and  shall  never  cease  thanking  God 
for  timely  aid  afforded;  for  several  subsequent 
years,  under  this  physician's  care,  had  more 
comfortable  times  allotted  me  than  I  had 
known  for  a  long  period  of  time  before,  but  a 
sufferer  I  was  still,  and  must  have  remained, 
had  not  the  dear  Master  graciously  interposed 
in  my  behalf. 

I  was  unable  to  walk  or  stand  one  moment 
alone  upon  my  feet,  a  terrible  dizziness,  and 
pressure  in  the  heart,  attending  every  attempt 
of  thir,  kind.  The  cords  of  my  lower  limbs 
were  contracted.  For  sixteen  years  I  had  not 
been  able  to  lie  an  instant  upon  my  left  side; 


VICTORY    THROUGH    CHRIST.  1 17 

could  lake  but  small  quantities  of  food,  and 
often,  for  weeks  at  a  time,  was  unable  to  take 
the  least  nourishment  without  great  increase 
of  pain.  In  one  of  your  letters  you  speak  of 
what  you  suffered  from  "  exaltation  of  sensi- 
bility." How  much  that  means  to  me  !  Dur- 
ing seasons  of  great  prostration  I  have  lain, 
for  hours  at  a  time,  in  that  condition  that  had 
a  person  entered  my  room,  had  there  been 
any  unusual  noise  (how  I  used  to  pray  that 
nothing  of  the  kind  might  occur),  I  do  not 
know  how  I  could  have  endured  it.  My  dear 
mother  used  to  sit  in  the  room  adjoining  mine, 
doing  all  in  her  power  to  hinder  increase  of 
excitement.  I  have  endured  the  most  excru- 
ciating pain,  and  have  suffered  about  as  much, 
it  seems  to  me,  as  poor  humanity  could  endure. 

How  zealously  I  strove  to  overcome  disease, 
and  regain  my  health,  willing  to  submit  to  the 
most  severe  experiments  suggested  by  physi- 
cians, if  offered  thereby  any  hope  of  relief, 
many  can  testify. 

Last  July,  and  once  more  in  September, 
prayer  was  offered  for  me  by  Dr.  Charles  Cul- 
lis,  of  Boston,  Mass.  I  was  blessed  spiritually, 


Il8  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

but  was  not  yet  prepared  to  take  hold  upon  the 
promises,  and  claim  a  physical  cure.  About 
this  time  I  was  led  to  plead  for  a  consecrated 
heart,  and  began  to  taste  the  blessedness  of 
giving  myself  wholly  away  to  God ;  began  to 
ask,  and  receive,  answers  to  my  prayers  in  so 
remarkable  a  manner,  thafr  I  could  doubt  no 
longer  the  willingness  of  Jehovah  to  speak  to 
the  children  of  men. 

At  some  future  time,  I  want  to  give  you 
the  particulars  concerning  special  answers  to 
prayer  in  a  time  of  great  wonderment  and 
depression  in  regard  to  financial  embarrass- 
ments. 

.Very  soon  reports  were  brought  mo  con- 
cerning the  great  faith  of  some  colored  people 
of  Wolcottville,  Conn,  (your  own  case,  my 
dear  Carrie,  being  prominent  among  those 
that  helped  increase  my  courage),  and  as 
these  good  people  were  soon  expecting  to 
visit  Pittsfield,  I  was  advised  to  see  them. 
But  alas!  like  Naaman,  I  questioned  whether 
the  waters  of  Israel  were  any  better  than 
those  of  Pharphar  and  Abana ;  why  my  own 
prayers,  or  those  of  my  Christian  neighbors, 


VICTORY    THROUGH    CHRIST.  119 

might  not  avail  as  much  as  the  prayers  of 
Mrs.  Mix.  I  think  one  of  the  most  important 
truths  which  I  have  been  called  to  learn,  since 
coming  to  this  life  of  faith,  is,  that  of  all  His 
children  the  Lord  demands  obedience. 

Looking  unto  Him,  prayerfully,  I  was  led 
to  Mrs.  Mix.  On  the  second  of  November 
she  came  to  me,  prayed  with  me — friends  in 
various  parts  of  the  house  uniting  in  prayer 
for  me  at  the  same  time — and  without  assist- 
ance from  any  human  agency,  /  arose  and 
walked j  no  dizziness  seized  me,  nor  was 
there  any  inclination  to  fall.  I  had  said  in 
the  morning  that  if,  in  this  life,  I  was  ever  able 
to  walk  to  mother's  kitchen  and,  coming 
through  certain  rooms,  back  to  my  bed,  I 
would  say  I  was  healed. 

Before  dark,  on  that  long  to  be  remembered 
Sunday,  I  accomplished  this  feat  easily,  and 
mother  and  daughter  praised  God  from 
fervent  hearts.  Cords  so  long  contracted 
straightened  in  one  night.  I  could  now  take 
food  regularly  without  distress,  and  the  word 
of  the  Master  came  to  me  with  power :  '  Wait 
on  the  Lord :  be  of  good  courage,  and  He 


120  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

shall    strengthen    thine   heart ;  wait,  I   say,  on 
the  Lord." — Psalm  xxvii :   14. 

I  had  yet  to  learn  many  lessons,  however; 
among  other  things,  that  what  I  had  now  com- 
menced is  termed,  and  is,  in  very  truth,  the 
"fight  °f  faith."  I  think  I  have  met  every  foe 
that  Pilgrim  encountered  on  the  first  part  of 
his  journey  from  the  city  of  Destruction,  from 
Worldly  Wiseman  down  to  Simple  and  Pre- 
sumption ;  each  has  had  his  say.  Thanks  be 
to  God,  \  am  trusting  still. 

Not  many  days  had  passed  before  old 
symptoms  returned,  and,  according  to  human 
appearances,  there  was  need  of  medicine.  The 
tempter  began  an  argument  with  my  soul, 
somewhat  difficult  to  resist,  telling  me  that  I 
could  go  no  further  without  this,  which  had 
been  my  help  so  many  years.  In  an  agony  of 
suspense  and  fear  I  came  direct  to  God  for 
light,  for  direction;  and  He  spoke  peace  to 
my  soul.  I  gave  orders  for  my  medicine  to 
be  thrown  away ;  whether  I  could  lift  my 
head  or  not,  I  would  trust ! 

Among  other  inestimable  blessings,  my  Lord 
has  granted  me  a  mother  strong  in  faith ; 


VICTORY    THROUGH    CHRIST.  121 

when  my  own  began  to  waver,  hers  but  shone 
the  clearer,  and  together  we  fought  on.  On 
the  third  of  November,  walking  a  short  dis- 
tance from  our  door,  I  had  plucked  a  green 
leaf  and  borne  it  triumphantly  to  mother,  by 
whom  it  was  received  as  truly  an  evidence 
that  the  waters  were  abating,  as  was  the  olive 
leaf  by  Noah.  I  gained  so  rapidly,  that,  in 
the  course  of  a  few  weeks,  taking  a  friend's 
arm  and  a  cane,  I  walked  across  the  street  to 
sister's. 

O,  it  is  all  too  glorious  to  describe,  the 
wondrous  way  my  Lord  has  led  me  on,  seem- 
ing some-times  "  for  a  small  moment  "  to  have 
forsaken  me,  but  with  "  everlasting  mercy" 
bearing  me  in  mind.  Gradually  (my  first 
word  from  the  dear  Lord,  when  I  came  to 
Him  for  healing,  had_  been  "  wait")  my  faith 
and  strength  increased,  until  I  could  walk 
some  little  distance  on  the  frozen  earth  each 
day,  and  make  short  calls  at  near  neigh- 
bors. We  had  lived  in  our  house  for  seven- 
teen years,  and  never,  until  since  my  cure, 
had  I  seen  the  upper  rooms.  Each  trip  up- 
stairs seemed  as  new,  and  grand,  and  strange, 
as  most  people's  trips  to  Europe  ! 


122  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

Meanwhile,  matters  had  been  so  arranged 
that  the  coming  spring,  my  only  sister  was 
expecting  to  move  one  mile  away,  and  was 
very  desirous  of  taking  mother  and  myself 
with  her  to  her  new  home ;  but  above  every- 
thing, this  side  of  death,  stood  my  dread  of 
riding.  For  eighteen  years  every  attempt  to 
ride  had  occa-sioned  spasms,  followed  by  such 
long  prostration  as  was  terrible  to  recall,  and 
just  here  Satan  stood  over  me  exultant  for 
many  days. 

I  did  not  always  wisely  remember  that 
God's  Word  does  not  promise  aid  in  advance 
of  trial,  but  "as  tJiy  day  so  shall  thy  strength 
be."  When  the  full  time  for  my  first  experi- 
ence in  the  carriage  came,  the  recollection 
of  the  agony  I  had  endured  in  times  past,  for 
a  moment  overpowered  me ;  my  strength  left 
me,  my  heart  grew  tremulous,  and  I  called 
mightily  unto  God  for  help,  for  some  word  of 
cheer.  Opening  the  good  Book,  expectantly, 
I  was  directed  to  these  words :  "  He  giveth 
power  to  the  faint,  and  to  them  that  have  no 
might  He  increaseth  strength."  -Isaiah  xl :  29. 
What  could  I  ask  more? 


VICTORY    THROUGH    CHRIST.  123 

I  went  to  the  carriage,  praising  God.  Vic- 
tory did  not  crown  my  first  effort,  nor  the 
next,  but  knowing  that  my  Lord  had  promised 
— victory  must  be  mine.  All  in  good  time  it 
came;  no  larger  than  the  cloud  for  which 
Elijah  waited,  was  its  first  appearance,  but  by 
degrees  I  found  that  I  could  bear  the  motion 
of  the  carriage,  and  still  better  as  time  went 
on.  I  could  be  drawn  slowly  across  the  yard, 
but  the  thought  of  that  one-mile  drive  termi- 
nating in  change  of  home  and  surroundings, 
which  I  was  so  soon  expected  to  undertake, 
Satan  was  permitted  to  hold  before  my  mind's 
eyes  for  many  days  and  nights,  harassing  me 
with  doubts  and  fears,  terrible  to  endure. 
On  the  twentieth  of  May,  in  an  easy  carriage 
phaeton,  drawn  by  a  gentle  horse,  I  rode  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  without  spasms  or  any  great 
distress.  Victory  was  mine ;  friends  stood 
upon  the  sidewalk,  speaking  words  of  encour- 
agement and  praise  as  we  passed  along,  and 
the  thankfulness  that  went  up  from  my  heart 
that  afternoon,  no  one  but  the  dear  Master 
knows  anything  about. 

Now  I  began  coming   to  the  dear  Lord  for 


124  THE   PRAYER  OF   FAITH. 

unwavering  faith  concerning  that  long-dreaded 
removal  to  my  new  home,  and  on  the  morning 
of  the  second  of  June,  little  dreaming  that 
that  was  the  day  appointed  by  the  dear  Mas- 
ter, for  the  same,  my  cry  unto  Him  was 
answered  by  these  words  of  promise,  "  Behold 
I  am  with  thee,  and  will  keep  thee  in  all 
places  whither  thou  goest  *  *  *  for  I  will  not 
leave  thee  until  I  have  done  that  which  I  have 
spoken  to  thee  of."  -Gen.  xxviii :  15  = 

There  had  been  no  time  appointed  for  my 
transit  to  other  quarters,  but  that  June  morn- 
ing it  was  as  if  my  Lord  had  told  me  that 
the  time  was  near  at  hand.  To  my  great 
amazement,  nervous  anxiety  was  removed.  I 
was  wonderfully  at  rest,  and  began  making- 
preparations  for  a  hasty  exit ;  whether  that 
day,  or  three  months  from  that  day,  none  but 
the  dear  Lord  knew. 

During  the  early  part  of  the  afternoon  I 
was  enabled  to  call  at  a  certain  neighbor's, 
whom  I  had  desired  to  visit  before  leaving 
our  old  home,  and  make  a  farewell  call  at 
another  place  not  far  away.  Returning  home, 
somewhat  exhausted,  I  sought  my  bed  for 


VICTORY    THROUGH    CHRIST.  125 

rest,  and  rest  was  granted.  And  now,  at  the 
right  moment,  my  brother-in-law,  at  his  store 
some  little  distance  away,  whom  I  had  not 
seen  for  some  time,  and  to  whom  no  one  had 
spoken  of  calling  for  me  to  ride  that  day, 
was  impressed  to  come  to  us  with  horse  and 
phaeton.  The  time  was  now  fully  come. 
I  was  gloriously  strengthened ;  rode  to  my 
new  home  without  injury,  or  any  great  fatigue. 
Was  not  my  Lord  fulfilling  His  word  of 
promise,  gloriously?  Is  it  any  wonder  if  my 
soul  is  so  filled  with  praise  that  the  one  hun- 
dred and  third  Psalm  will  keep  surging  up 
from  its  very  depths  ?  I  have  given  you  a 
somewhat  lengthy  account,  but  the  story  can 
never  be  half  told.  I  am  in  a  delightful 
place  to  praise  God  all  the  day  long,  am 
growing  stronger  and  better  as  the  days  go 
by,  have  long  since  lain  on  my  left  side ;  in 
short,  am  being  made  every  whit  whole,  thanks 
be  to  God,  Who  "  giveth  us  the  victory 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

ALICE  M.  BALL. 


26  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 


CHAPTER  X. 

PRAYER    AND    FASTING. 

IF  the  "fight  of  faith"  looks  difficult  for  u*. 
we  must  not  give  up  the  blessings  for  which 
we  have  pleaded,  and  shelter  ourselves  be- 
hind the  thought  that  it  is  not  God's  will  for 
us  to  have  them,  when  really  our  unbelief 

'  «• 

prevents  us  from  obtaining  them.  The  cow- 
ardice which  makes  us  flee  before  the  enemy, 
is  not  the  submission  of  faith ;  and  we  must 
not  mistake  the  one  for  the  other.  There  is 
one  instance  in  which  we  read  of  the  disciples 
failing  to  restore  the  sick,  and  that  was  when 
they  could  not  cast  the  evil  spirit  out  of  the 
poor  lunatic. 

When  our  Saviour  Himself  had  performed 
the  miracle,  "Then  came  the  disciples  to 
Jesus  apart,  and  said,  Why  could  not  we 
cast  him  out?  And  Jesus  said,  Because  of 
your  unbelief." 

If  the  disciples  had  reasoned,  as  some 
Christians  of  this  age  undoubtedly  would,  they 


PRAYER    AND    FASTING.  127 

would  have  said  to  the  poor  father,  alter  tneir 
ineffectual  attempt  to  cast  the  devil  out  of 
his  child,  "  You  had  better  go  home  and  bear 
your  affliction  patiently.  It  is  not  the  will  of 
God  that  your  son  should  be  cured."  But 
Jesus  tells  the  disciples,  in  plain  language, 
the  reason  of  their  failure,  "  Because  of  your 
unbelief." 

Since  He  adds  immediately  after,  "  Howbeit 
this  kind  goeth  not  out  but  by  prayer  and 
fasting,"  it  would  seem  to  imply  that  this 
humiliation  and  denying  of  the  body,  would 
develop  their  spirituality,  and  take  away  from 
their  own  hearts  the  blind  spirit  of  unbelief. 
It  certainly  teaches  us  that  some  difficulties 
which  cannot  be  overcome  by  prayer  alone, 
can  be  conquered  by  prayer  and  fasting.  By 
subduing  our  fleshly  appetites  I  believe  that 
we  become  prepared  for  a  higher  spirituality; 
and  with  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
our  requickened  faith  is  powerful  enough  to 
grasp  the  blessings  awaiting  us. 

Do  Christians  attach  enough  importance  to 
this  subject  of  fasting?  Our  fleshly  desire-s 
are  clamorous,  and  not  easily  put  aside.  Most 


128  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

of  us  satisfy  our  consciences,  even  in  seasons 
of  fasting  which  the  Church  proclaims,  by 
denying  ourselves  some  luxury,  which,  in  the 
solemn  earnest  life  of  a  Christian,  ought  not 
to  be  considered  by  us  allowable  at  any  time. 
Christ  said,  "  But  the  days  will  come  when 
the  Bridegroom  shall  be  taken  away  from 
them,  and  then  shall  they  fast  in  those  days." 
We  read  many  times  in  the  book  of  Acts,  that 
the  disciples  did  fast  after  the  Heavenly 
Bridegroom  had  been  taken  away,  and  since 
He  has  not  yet  returned,  is  it  not  meet  for  us 
also  to  deny  ourselves,  at  times,  the  bread 
for  which  we  hunger  again,  that  we  may  be 
satisfied  with  the  Bread  of  Life  ?  And  con- 
sidering the  new  spiritual  life  which  may  be 
ours  through  this  means,  Christ's  question, 
"Is  not  the  life  more  than  meat?"  comes  to 
us  with  a  new  interpretation. 

Our  holy  Saviour,  Himself,  set  us  the  ex- 
ample of  fasting,  when  'for  "forty  days  and 
forty  nights  "  He  hungered  for  our  sakes,  and 
He  has  plainly  told  us  that  a  reward  from 
the  Father  shall  be  given  us,  when  we  thus 
humble  ourselves  before  Him.  Speaking  re- 


PRAYER    AND    FASTING.  129 

Drovingiy  of  the  Pharisees  who  disfigured 
tneir  faces  that  they  might  appear  unto  men 
to  fast,  He  continues,  "But  thou  when  thou 
tastest,  anoint  thine  head  and  wash  thy  face, 
that  thou  shall  not  appear  unto  men  to  fast, 
but  unto  thy  Father  which  seeth  in  secret, 
and  thy  Father  which  seeth  in  secret  shall 
reward  thce  openly," 

Some  of  us  may  be  faithless  enough  to  be- 
lieve that  it  would  be  impossible  to  deny 
ourselves  one  meal,  even,  without  great  weak- 
ness of  body,  and  subsequent  prostration,  but 
my  experience  in  this  has  shown  me  that  the 
higher  sustenance  given  at  such  a  time,  is 
ample  nourishment  for  the  body  as  well  as  the 
soul. 

One  sweet,  Christian  sister,  of  my  acquaint- 
ance, who  was  praying  with  fasting  for  a  cer- 
tain result  which  she  desired  for  the  glory  of 
God,  was  marvelously  sustained.  Far  from 
strong,  naturally,  she  went  without  food  long 
enough  to  have  weakened  a  much  stronger 
person,  but  she  was  nourished  by  the  Lord. 
She  had  never  before  fasted  for  so  long  a  tin?*, 
but  '*  never  so  comfortably,"  she  told  me,  and 


130  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

afterwards,  to  the  Lord's  praise,  she  felt  as 
well  and  strong  as  usual. 

We  may  remember  with  comfort  how  oiu 
tender  Shepherd  said,  "  I  have  compassion  01? 
the  multitude,  *  and  I  will  not  send 

them  away  fasting,  lest  they  faint  in  the 
way." — St.  Matt,  xv :  32.  And  can  we  think 
that  He  will  not  also  "  have  compassion  "  on 
us  when  we  "  continue  with  "  Him  in  weak- 
ness of  body,  pleading  our  needs,  or  the  needs 
of  our  friends  ?  He  will  not  send  us  away 
fasting.  He  will  feed  our  souls  with  Himself, 
the  Heavenly  Manna.  Think  how  the  poor 
woman  of  Canaan  was  rewarded  when  she 
had  faith  even  to  claim  the  crumbs  which  the 
"children  "had  let  fall. 

And  here  I  cannot  help  speaking  of  that 
wondrous  means  of  grace  and  strength,  the 
Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  of  which  I 
fear  too  many  of  us  fail  to  avail  ourselves. 
Shall  our  souls  starve  while  so  rich  a  banquet 
is  awaiting  them  ? 

O,  dear  ones,  we  are  all  invited  as  children 
to  eat  at  the  table  of  our  Lord  and  Master, 
but  do  we  have  any  appreciation  of  the  won- 


PRAYER    AND    FASTING.  131 

drous  feast  set  before  us,  even  the  "  Bread  of 
Life  "  t  Even  if  we  do  not  refuse  to  partake 
of  this  sacred  feast,  are  we  making  the  most 
of  our  precious  privileges,  or  are  we  dropping 
larger  portions  than  "  crumbs  "  from  our  heed- 
less and  irreverent  grasp  ?  Do  we  "gather  up 
the  fragments  that  remain,  that  nothing  be 
lost"? — St.  John  vi :  12.  I  believe  that  if  we 
will  accept  all  that  He  offers  us  in  that  holy 
and  mystical  body,  of  which  we  spiritually 
partake,  we  may  find  renewed  physical  life  as 
well  as  spiritual.  Even  if  the  lesser  benefits 
are  only  "  fragments "  compared  with  the 
greater,  we  must  not  overlook  or  despise  them. 

"Shepherd  of  souls,  refresh  and  bless 

Thy  chosen  pilgrim  flock, 

With  manna  in  the  wilderness, 

With  water  from  the  rock. 

"  Hungry  and  thirsty,  faint  and  weak, 

As  Thou  when  here  below, 
Our  souls  the  joys  celestial  seek 
Which  from  Thy  sorrows  flow. 

"  We  would  not  live  by  bread  alone, 

But  by  that  word  of  grace, 
In  strength  of  which  we  travel  on 
To  our  abiding-place. 

• 


132  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

"Be  known  to  us  in  breaking  bread, 

But  do  not  then  depart  ; 
Saviour  abide  with  us,  and  spread 
Thy  table  in  our  heart." 

But  to  continue  the  subject  of  prayer  and 
fasting.  Why  were  those  thousands  of  people 
with  Jesus  on  the  occasion  of  His  feeding 
them  with  bread  in  the  wilderness  ?  We  read, 
"  And  great  multitudes  came  unto  Him,  hav- 
ing with  them  those  that  were  lame,  blind, 
dumb,  maimed,  and  many  others,  and  cast 
them  at  Jesus'  feet,  and  He  healed  them." 
The  people  who  were  well  and  strong  were 
bearing  their  sick  friends  to  Christ,  and,  for 
their  sakes,  they  had  followed  Him,  and  were 
without  bread  in  the  wilderness.  And  ought 
we  not  thus,  with  prayer  and  fasting,  to  bring 
the  unconverted,  the  sick  and  the  feeble,  and 
lay  them  at  Jesus'  feet  ? 

The  third  chapter  of  Acts  affords  us  many 
lessons  -in  regard  to  our  duty  toward  our  suf- 
fering neighbors.  The  poor  lame  man  lay 
daily  at  the  "Gate  Beautiful,"  and  asked  alms 
of  those  who  entered  the  temple,  just  as  there 
are  many  ndwadays,  crippled  spiritually  and 


PRAYER    AND    FASTING.  135 

physically,  watching  us  with  eager  eyes  as  we 
enter  the  sacred  precincts,  only  in  the  shadow 
of  which  they  may  lie ;  and  is  it  not  our  faith- 
lessness that  prevents  us  from  bidding  them, 
in  the  name  of  Christ,  "rise  up  and  walk/' 
that  they  too  may  enter  the  "  Church  Militant " 
in  triumph  ? 

We  read  that  this  lame  man,  at  Peter's  bid- 
ding, "  leaping  up  stood,  and  walked,  and 
entered  with  them  into  the  temple*  walking  and 
leaping  and  praising  God."  What  a  glorious 
entrance  was  that;  rejoicing  in  strength  of 
body  and  soul,  he  was  ready  to  serve  God 
with  both.  But  we  must  look  back  to  notice 
that  Peter  did  more  than  to  bid  him  arise  and 
walk;  "he  took  him  by  the  right  hand,  and 
lifted  him  up." 

So  we  must  feel  it  our  duty  to  assist  those 
who  are  weak  in  faith,  and  those  who  have 
never  had  power  to  stand,  and  by  prayer  and 
encouragement  we  must  hold  them  up,  until 
they  receive  strength  to  "  walk  and  leap." 
We  read  further  about  this  converted  and 
healed  man,  "And  all  the  people  saw  him 
walking  and  praising  God  and 


134  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

they  were  filled  with  wonder  and  amazement 
at  that  which  had  happened  unto  him."  It 
is  probable  that  the  people  were  as  much 
amazed  at  the  man's  praising  God,  as  at  nis 
walking,  and  just  in  this  glorious  way,  my 
dear,  Christian  friends,  do  we  want  to  fill  the 
world  and  the  Church  "  with  wonder  and 
amazement  "  at  the  conversion  of  sinners,  and 
the  healing  of  sufferers,  and  bring  into  the 
Church  those  who  have  long  lain  outside  in 
poverty  of  soul,  or  weakness  of  body. 

We  will  glance  at  the  other  important  les- 
sons in  this  account  of  healing.  It  is  related 
that  "  all  the  people  ran  together  unto  them  in 
the  porch  that  is  called  Solomon's,  greatly 
wondering.  And  when  Peter  saw  it  he  an- 
swered unto  the  people,  Ye  men  of  Israel  why 
marvel  ye  at  this  ?  or  why  look  ye  so  earnestly 
on  us,  as  though  by  our  own  power  or  holi- 
ness we  had  made  this  man  to  walk?  '  We 
find  human  nature  now,  as  Peter  found  it 
then.  So  many  look  wonderingly  at  the 
instruments  of  God,  believing  them  possessed 
of  some  mysterious  power,  or  else  believing 
them  capable,  by  their  own  holiness,  of  ob- 


PRAYER    AND    FASTING.  135 

taining  blessings  which  only  the  righteousness 
of  Christ  can  procure  for  any  of  us. 

Peter  proceeds  to  explain  clearly  the  prince 
pie  of  faith-healing  :  "  The  God  of  Abraham 
and  of  Isaac  and  of  Jacob  hath  glorified  His 
Son  Jesus,  *  *  *  *  and  His  name  through 
faith  in  His  name  hath  made  this  man  strong 
whom  ye  see  and  know  :  yea,  the  faith  which 
is  by  Him  hath  given  him  this  perfect  sound- 
ness in  the  presence  of  you  all." 

O,  my  dear  friends,  we  are  not  told  that 
Christ  was  glorified  by  the  man's  forty-years' 
affliction,  but  by  the  "  perfect  soundness ' 
given  him  by  faith  in  our  Saviour's  name. 
"  Therefore,  glorify  God  in  your  body  and  in 
your  spirit,  which  are  God's." 

The  efficacy  of  prayer  and  fasting  for  our- 
selves and  for  our  suffering  friends,  was 
brought  very  forcibly  to  my  mind  by  a  letter 
which  I  received  from  an  acquaintance,  awhile 
ago,  and  which  caused  me  to  search  the 
Scriptures,  to  get  more  light  on  our  duty  in 
this  respect.  The  letter  was  from  a  minister, 
who  had  been  cured  of  consumption  after  his 
wife  had  prayed  with  fasting,  when  many 


136  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

prayers  without  this  bodily  humiliation  had 
failed  to  secure  the  desired  healing.  I  have 
obtained  permission  of  my  friend  to  publish  his 
interesting  letter,  thinking  it  may  strengthen 
the  faith  of  some  of  the  dear  sufferers  who 
read  this  book. 

ALEXANDER,  N.  Y.,  April  i6th,  1880. 
DEAR  SISTER  IN  CHRIST  : 

I  have  had  g-reat  interest  in  your  case  from 
the  time  you  were  taken  sick,  and  when  I 
knew  of  your  being  healed  I  could  praise 
God  with  you.  I  have  had  an  experience 
somewhat  like  yours,  or  as  wonderful. 

After  I  moved  from  Linden  to  Boston,  I 
was  taken  sick ;  having  taken  a  severe  cold, 
being  very  much  overworked,  but  so  situated 
that  I  could  not  stop  work,  and  attend  to 
myself,  and  soon  took  another  cold,  and  an- 
other, until  I  was  compelled  to  give  up  and 
go  home,  as  many  thought,  to  die  of  quick 
consumption.  I  called  two  skillful  physicians, 
but  they  both  told  my  friends  I  must  die.  I 
was  confined  to  my  house,  and  my  neighbors 
expected  to  see  crape  on  the  door  at  any  time. 


PRAYER    AND    FASTING.  137 

I  did  not  think  I  was  going  to  die,  but  be- 
lieved the  Lord  was  going  to  raise  me  up  in 
answer  to  the  "prayer  of  faith; "  but  as  I  was 
so  weak  in  body,  I  thought  it  must  be  some- 
one's faith  beside  my  own.  After  looking  to 
the  Lord  for  several  days,  and  getting  worse 
all  the  time,  I  wrote  a  line  to  Dr.  Cullis,  and 
sent  my  daughter  to  the  "  Consumptives' 
Home  "  with  it,  with  the  request  for  Dr.  Cul- 
lis to  come  and  pray  for  me. 

I  told  my  daughter  if  he  was  not  there  to 
bring  the  letter  back  to  me,  and  as  he  was  not 
there  she  brought  it  back.  My  wife  then 
said,  "  You  have  prayed  for  others,  and  they 
have  been  healed ;  why  can't  you  pray  for 
yourself?  '  I  was  so  weak  in  body,  it  did  not 
seem  as  though  I  could  have  the  faith.  I 
waited  a  whole  week,  getting  worse  and  worse, 
and  had  fearful  night-sweats,  and,  to  all  human 
appearance,  I  was  in  the  last  stages  of  con- 
sumption. Finally  my  wife  was  fasting  all  day, 
praying  the  Lord  to  give  me  healing-faith, 
though  I  knew  nothing  of  it.  That  very  night 
I  called  my  wife  and  children  to  my  couch, 
and  asked  if  they  had  any  faith,  and  they  all 
replied,  "yes." 


THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

I  then  took  my  Bible,  turned  with  trembling 
hands?  and  read  several  promises  on  prayer 
and  faith,  and  also  that  "  the  prayer  of  faith 
shall  save  the  sick  and  the  Lord  shall  raise 
him  up,"  and  we  prayed  and  united  our  faith, 
claiming  the  promise,  "  if  two  of  you  shall 
agree  on  earth,  as  touching  anything  that  they 
shall  ask,  it  shall  be  done." 

As  we  were  praying,  I  felt  a  sensation  from 
my  head  down  my  spine,  and  to  my  feet,  like 
the  shock  from  a  battery,  and  I  knew  I  was 
healed.  In  ten  days'  time  I  was  at  my  work 
again  in  the  office  of  "  The  Christian,"  and 
preached  Sundays,  and,  from  that  day  till  this, 
I  have  had  no  trouble  with  my  lungs.  O, 
what  a  spiritual  blessing  I  received  also;  it 
seemed  as  though  I  never  felt  Jesus  so  near 
before,  not  even  at  my  conversion.  I  was 
healed  Oct.  26th,  1876.  I  hg,ve  known  of 
very  many  cases  of  faith-healing.  My  wife 
has  been  healed,  and  is  alive  now  in  answer 
to  prayer,  though  my  friends  thought  she 
must  die.  O,  what  a  mighty  Saviour  we  have.' 
Let  us  praise  and  exalt  him. 

Yours  in  Christ, 

(Rev.)  A.  P,  MOORE. 


PRAYER    AND    FASTING.  139 

Mr.  Moore  speaks  of  his  wife's  healing,  and 
I  have  requested  her  account  of  it  for  my 
readers.  Mrs.  Moore  is  known  to  me  person- 
ally, and  the  example  of  her  beautiful  Chris- 
tian life  is  helpful  to  all  who  know  her.  The 
following  letter  was  received  from  her  a  short 
time  ago  : 

ALEXANDER,  N.  Y. 
MY  DEAR  SISTER  IN  CHRIST  : 

I  have  many  times  been  raised  up  in  answer 
to  prayer.  Many  times  when  medicine  has 
failed  to  help,  have  I  and  the  children  been 
restored  when  we  looked  to  God  alone,  and 
let  go  wholly  of  the  help  of  man.  O,  I  have 
found  it  blessed  to  take  the  Lord  for  our 
Physician.  Two  years  ago  the  doctor  said 
mine  was  a  very  doubtful  case ;  I  might  live 
but  a  very  short  time.  My  disease  was  a 
most  dangerous  one,  and  could  not  be  success- 
fully reached  by  remedies,  being  internal  can- 
cer. I  doctored  four  months  with  a  physician 
who  was  very  skillful  with  such  diseases,  and 
was  then  no  better,  as  I  could  realize,  but 
seemed  much  weaker. 


140  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

I  grew  worse  and  worse  ;  tried  remedies  that 
had  helped  others,  but  they  did  me  no  good. 
My  pain  grew  much  more  severe.  I  realized 
that  I  was  at  death's  door.  My  husband  then 
requested  prayer  for  me  through  a  Christian 
paper,  the  "Crisis,"  begging  those  who  had 
faith  to  pray  for  me,  saying  that  he  felt  like  a 
drowning  man,  crying  for  help,  and  saying 
'*  who  will  help  ? — who  ?  '  Prayer  was  offered 
for  me,  not  only  by  our  people,  but  also  by  a 
little  band  of  faithful  Pilgrims  in  E.  Bethany, 
called  Free  Methodists. 

God  heard  and  answered.  I  was  filled  with 
the  Holy  Spirit.  Every  part  of  my  body  un- 
derwent a  change,  a  renovation.  My  strength 
came,  and  I  commenced  to  walk ;  had  hardly 
stepped  at  all  for  several  months.  O,  how 
thankful  I  did  feel;  how  I  did  praise  the 
Lord  "with  a  loud  voice."  I  gave  Him  glory, 
and,  thanks  be  to  His  dear  name !  I  have 
walked  ever  since.  I  can  now  work  very 
hard  nearly  all  day.  The  Lord  has  healed 
me,  and  I  shall  yet  praise  Him  for  a  complete 
cure. 

I  have  another  case  of  recent  date.    A  young 


PRAYER    AND    FASTING.  14! 

lady,  who  was  living  with  one  of  our  neigh- 
bors, was  troubled  with  her  lungs  exceedingly. 
They  were  in  a  serious  condition,  and  she  was 
quite  unfitted  for  work.  Providentially,  my 
husband  and  I  staid  there  one  night,  shortly 
after  I  was  healed.  I  felt  impressed  to  pray 
for  her  recovery,  and  was  greatly  blessed. 
Was  filled  with  the  Spirit  in  a  great  measure, 
as  when  I  was  healed  myself.  She  was  healed 
that  very  evening.  All  through  the  night  she 
felt  the  healing  Power.  It  was  something  like 
a  prickling  or  itching  sensation.  She  has  had 
no  trouble  with  her  lungs  since,  and  has 
worked  exceedingly  hard  a  great  share  of  the 
time.  She  gave  God  all  the  glory,  and  was 
greatly  blessed  spiritually.  I  have  received  a 
greater  blessing  spiritually,  when  I  have  been 
healed,  than  even  at  my  conversion. 

O,  how  good  the  Lord  is,  to  thus  condescend 
to  hear  our  cries  for  help,  and  thus  to  relieve 
us.  May  we  never  grieve  Him  more  by  unbe- 
lief. God  help  us  to  accept  all  His  promises, 
and  be  truly  blessed.  Should  you  desire  more 
of  our  experience  of  the  healing  power  of 
God,  I  can  give  you  many  instances  where  we 


142  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

have  been  healed  immediately.  When  we  gave 
up  all  medicine,  and  trusted  God  wholly,  He 
never  disappointed  us. 

Your  sister  in  faith  and  hope, 

MRS.  A.  P.  MOORE. 

"He  that  trusteth  in  the  Lord,  mercy  shall 
compass  him  about."  —Psalm  xxxii :  10. 

"  It  is  better  to  trust  in  the  Lord  than  to 
put  confidence  in  man.  It  is  better  to  trust 
in  the  Lord  than  to  put  confidence  in  princes." 
— Psalm  cxviii :  8,  9. 

"The  Lord  is  my  strength  and  my  shield; 
my  heart  trusted  in  Him,  and  I  am  helped: 
therefore  my  heart  greatly  rejoiceth  ;  and  with 
my  song  will  I  praise  Him." — Psalm  xxviii:  7. 


SERVICE    FOR    THE    MASTER.  143 


CHAPTER     XI. 

SERVICE    FOR    THE    MASTER. 

THERE  are  two  short  verses  in  the  eighth 
chapter  of  St.  Matthew,  which  we  are  not  apt 
to  consider  of  particular  importance,  but 
which,  in  reality,  contain  a  very  sweet  and 
comforting  lesson.  "And  when  Jesus  was 
come  into  Peter's  house,  He  saw  his  wife's 
mother  laid  and  sick  of  a  fever.  And  He 
touched  her  hand,  and  the  fever  left  her,  and 
she  arose  and  ministered  unto  them." 

When  Christ  thus  bids  us  arise,  we  shall 
find  a  blessed  work  in  ministering  to  all  who 
need  our  ministrations,  and  however  humble 
may  be  our  work  seemingly,  it  will  be  sweet- 
ened by  the  precious  knowledge  that  we  are 
doing  it  for  Him.  Yes,  as  much  for  Him  if 
we  offer  only  a  "cup  of  cold  water"  in  His 
name,  as  when  this  restored  woman  ministered 
unto  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  Himself. 

He  "  rebuked  the  fever '  and  raised  her 
from  her  bed  of  sickness  that  she  might  min- 


144  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

ister  unto  her  Lord  and  those  of  her  house- 
hold. He  would  not  have  needed  her  services 
had  He  not  chosen  to  accept  them,  for  it 
would  have  been  as  easy  for  Him  to  perform 
some  other  miracle  as  that  one,  but  He  knows 
the  joy  which  a  fully  restored  and  consecrated 
soul  finds  in  loving  service,  and  He  gave  to 
her,  as  He  is  willing  to  give  to  us,  the  privil- 
ege of  being  useful  to  Him. 

It  is  very  noticeable  that  all  who  experience 
this  Divine  healing  are  filled  with  the  desire 
to  be  useful  in  the  Master's  vineyard.  Timid 
souls  who  have  been  either  afraid  or  ashamed 
to  speak  for  Christ,  are  ready,  after  His  heal- 
ing touch,  to  proclaim  to  all  the  beauty  of 
their  Saviour.  Verily,  He  giveth  sight  to  the 
blind,  and  speech  to  the  dumb. 

One  dear  sister  of  my  acquaintance,  who 
recovered  from  a  long  and  painful  illness,  in 
answer  to  the  "  prayer  of  faith,"  has  since 
found  her  greatest  joy  in  winning  souls  for  the 
Master.  Her  efforts  in  this  direction,  and 
especially  her  labors  among  the  victims  of 
intemperance  and  vice,  have  been  rejoiced 
over  by  many  who  have  found  "  the  Way  of 


SERVICE    FOR    THE    MASTER.  145 

Salvation  '  through  her  prayerful  ministry. 
Her  own  experience  ol  her  Saviour's  restoring 
grace,  and  of  His  healing  touch,  is  well  calcu- 
lated to  give  renewed  courage  and  faith  to 
others,  and  I  publish  entire  the  account  which 
she  has,  at  my  request,  kindly  written  for  this 
work. 


BUFFALO,  June  joth, 

I  have  often  felt,  since  my  recovery  from 
a  long  and  alarming  illness,  in  answer  to  the 
"prayer  of  faith,"  that  I  should  make  a  pub- 
lic statement  of  the  facts  of  the  case,  both 
that  God's  name  might  be  glorified  by  a  re- 
cital of  His  wonderful  dealing  with  me,  and 
that  some  suffering  ones  who  feel  that  there 
is  nothing  before  them  but  a  life  of  pain,  may, 
through  the  blessing  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  be 
led,  as  I  have  been,  to  look  unto  Him,  "  Who 
healeth  all  our  diseases."  I  trust,  too,  that 
there  may  be  professing  Christians,  who  have 
heretofore  followed  the  Master  but  "  afar  off  ' 
and  with  weak  and  faltering  faith,  who  may 
be  quickened  into  a  new  life  by  its  perusal. 
God  grant  that  it  may  be  so,  for  His  dear 
name's  sake  ! 


146  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

There  are  many  in  this  city  who  will  recall 
the  long  weary  years  of  my  illness.  I  believe 
it  was  partly  caused  by  the  worldly  life  of 
dissipation,  into  which  I  plunged  at  the  age 
of  eighteen,  and  which  I  bent  every  energy 
to  maintain  for  several  years,  in  spite  of  grow- 
ing weakness  and  steady  decline  of  nervous 
force,  which  warned  me  that  the  taper  was 
burning  low. 

O,  how  bitterly  do  I  regret  those  wasted 
years  !  It  was  one  continual  round  of  parties, 
operas  and  theatres  throughout  the  winter 
season,  only  to  be  continued  at  some  fashion- 
able watering  place,  when  summer  came. 
Self  was  my  only  thought,  and  self-gratifica- 
tion my  only  ambition.  Truly,  when  I  reflect 
upon  that  period  of  my  life  and  compare  it 
with  the  present,  I  can  say,  with  Paul,  'The 
things  I  once  loved,  now  I  hate,  and  the  things 
I  hated,  now  I  love." 

Such  a  life  is  worse  than  useless ;  it  is  sui- 
cidal, and  I  cannot  too  strongly  warn  my  young 
readers  against  it.  The  path  appears  to  be  a 
rosy  one,  but  oh  !  the  thorns  lie  underneath. 
At  last  I  was  forced  to  tak^  my  bed,  and  from 


SERVICE    FOR    THE    MASTER.  147 

that  time,  for  a  period  of  ten  years,  I  was  an 
invalid,  suffering  more  in  mind  and  body  than 
any  language  of  mine  could  describe. 

But  although,  through  the  skill  of  an  Indi- 
ana physician,  I  was,  at  the  close  of  a  year, 
enabled  to  walk  about,  I  had  learned  so  little 
by  my  sufferings  that  I,  at  once,  by  a  great 
effort  of  will,  returned  to  my  former  life  of 
gaiety  and  folly,  and,  after  a  few  months,  the 
Lord  in  mercy  laid  His  correcting  hand  upon 
me,  and  once  more  I  was  confined  to  my  bed. 

The  nervous  system  seemed  to  be  com- 
pletely prostrated;  there  was  a  constant  pres- 
sure, at  times  intense,  in  the  back  of  my  head, 
with  great  spinal  irritation,  which  twice  re- 
sulted in  a  serious  attack  of  congestion  of  the 
brain,  threatening  my  life.  There  was  ner- 
vous dyspepsia  in  its  worst  form,  attended  by 
difficulties  of  the  bowels  and  kidneys,  which 
greatly  increased  my  sufferings.  There  were 
other  painful  diseases  to  which  I  fell  a  victim 
at  the  beginning  of  my  illness,  and  which 
medical  aid  never  reached. 

When  I  look  back  and  consider  the  deplor- 
able condition  I  was  in,  and  how  much  I  am 


148  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

able  to  endure  to-day,  I  can  only  exclaim, 
"This  is  the  Lord  s  doings,  and  it  is  marvel- 
ous in  my  eyes." 

It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  I  suffered  a 
living  death  with  my  head.  Very  little  of  the 
time  was  I  able  to  read,  or  hear  reading,  or 
see  any  of  my  friends.  One  of  my  sisters 
came  from  a  distant  city  several  times  to  see 
me,  but  I  was  too  ill  to  bear  the  excitement 
of  seeing  her. 

The  slightest  noise  caused  my  nerves  to 
vibrate  with  the  keenest  agony ;  there  could 
be  no  sweeping  done  within  my  hearing  (which 
was  marvelously  acute)  for  many  weeks — all 
sounds  being  magnified  to  my  sensitive  brain. 
Several  friends  and  relatives  sickened  and 
died,  and  I  did  not  learn  of  it  until  years  had 
passed — no  one  daring  to  tell  me,  lest  the 
shock  should  prove  more  than  I  could  bear. 

Not  the  least  of  my  distress  was  the  thought 
that  I  must  die,  and  that  no  one  would  be  the 
better  for  my  having  lived;  that  my  life  had 
been  utterly  selfish  and  sinful ;  that  I  had  no 
treasure  laid  up  in  Heaven,  and  that  I  was 
wholly  unprepared  to  enter  there. 


SERVICE    FOR    THE    MASTER.  149 

At  last,  after  having  been  under  the  care  of 
seven  different  physicians,  and  being  advised 
by  the  one  then  attending  me,  to  once  more 
seek  a  change  of  air  and  treatment,  I  was  car- 
ried away  upon  a  mattress  with  little,  if  any, 
hope  in  the  minds  of  my  distracted  parents, 
that  I  could  live  many  weeks. 

As  for  myself,  I  clung  to  life  simply  because 
I  was  afraid  to  die.  After  having  received 
some  benefit  from  magnetic  treatment,  and  hav- 
ing been  absent  from  home  nearly  three  years, 
I  was  able  to  ride  out,  and  walk  about  my  room, 
but  the  relief  was  only  temporary.  It  was 
then  that,  after  having  had  in  all  nine  physi- 
cians, the  Lord  led  me  to  the  dear,  Christian 
woman,  in  the  city  of  Rochester,  who  pointed 
me  to  Jesus,  the  Great  Physician — glory  be  to 
His  name  ! — as  the  remedy  I  needed  for  my 
sin-laden  soul,  and  my  suffering  body.  Oh, 
that  I  could  find  words  to  express  what  a 
revelation  that  was  to  me !  "  Oh,  for  ten 
thousand  tongues  to  speak  my  great  Redeem- 
er's praise  !  "  His  wondrous  love,  His  almighty 
power  I  Dear  reader,  if  you  have  never 
tasted  that  power,  nor  the  faithfulness  of  His 


15°  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

promises  toward  us  who  believe,  may  the 
Holy  Spirit  incline  your  heart  to  do  so  now. 
Like  a  sudden  flood  of  sunlight  in  the  gloom- 
iest day,  His  heavenly  light  shone  in  upon  my 
darkened  soul,  and,  flinging  myself  in  utter 
self-abasement  at  his  feet,  I  cried,  "  Lord,  if 
Thou  wilt,  Thou  canst  make  me  clean  !  ' 

At  that  time  I  was,  for  the  first  time  in  my 
life,  "  hungering  and  thirsting  after  righteous- 
ness," and  had  felt  that  hungering  from  the 
first  interview  held  with  this  saintly  woman, 
whose  very  presence  filled  me  with  a  deep 
awe  and  a  sense  of  my  great  impurity  and 
sinfulness.  Many  times  during  the  morning 
Bible  reading,  at  her  house,  I  have  trembled 
so  violently  from  the  powerful  influence  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  which  fell  upon  us  as  she  spoke, 
that  I  could  scarcely  retain  my  seat. 

Coming  thus  in  true  penitence,  humility 
and  faith  to  Jesus,  I  found  Him  all  that  my 
soul  could  ever  need,  and  then  rejoicing  in 
the  forgiveness  of  my  sins,  I  was  led  to  look 
to  Him  for  healing  of  the  body  also.  I  vowed 
to  Him  that  if  he  would,  in  mercy,  restore  me 
to  health,  my  life  should  be  wholly  consecrated 


SERVICE    FOR    THE    MASTER.  15! 

to  His  service.  He  heard  my  cry  and  deliv- 
ered me  from  my  distresses.  To  Him  "  be 
glory  and  majesty,  dominion  and  power,  both 
now  and  ever  !  Amen." 

I  had  been  carried  up  and  down-stairs  for 
nearly  five  years;  in  ten  days  I  walked  down 
and  out  into  the  street  and  back  to  my  room 
with  a  little  assistance.  In  a  few  weeks,  not 
more  than  four,  I  could  walk  two  miles  with- 
out injury,  and  a  short  time  after  this  was 
sent  home,  a  wonder  and  an  astonishment  to 
all  who  knew  me.  It  seemed  to  be  God's 
plan  with  me  to  greatly  try  my  faith  by  per- 
mitting some  of  my  difficulties  to  remain,  in 
spite  of  many  prayers  and  efforts  to  overcome, 
and  also  by  sending  me  many  afflictions  and 
sorrows,  which  well-nigh  caused  my  frail  bark 
to  sink  beneath  the  waves.  But  with  the 
Captain  of  our  salvation  on  board  I  felt  that 
I  should  weather  all  the  storms.  During  those 
times  of  fiery  trial,  when  flesh  and  heart 
almost  failed  me,  I  was  often  comforted  by 
sweet  words  of  Scripture  stealing  in  upon  my 
mind  so  gently;  Heavenly  promises,  re-assur- 
ing and  urging  me  on.  From  my  heart  I 


152  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

thank  my  Heavenly  Father  for  the  griefs  and 
trials  He  has  sent  me,  for  each  has  brought 
its  deep  and  valued  lessons,  and  each  has 
brought  me  nearer  and  nearer  to  Him.  "  Be- 
fore I  was  afflicted  I  went  astray,  but  now 
have  I  kept  Thy  law." 

Within  the  past  two  years  I  have  been  still 
further  strengthened  by  an  interview  with  a 
minister  of  the  Gospel,  in  the  city  of  Brook- 
lyn, who  had  been  miraculously  healed,  almost 
instantly,  while  engaged  in  prayer  with  Dr. 
Cullis,  of  Boston,  whose  great  work  of  faith 
is  widely  known.  He  bade  me  believe  that 
the  work  of  healing  was  wholly  done  in  me, 
though  I  could  not  see  it  so,  reminding  me 
that  "we  walk  by  faith  and  not  by  sight." 

While  pondering  over  this,  as  I  walked  the 
street  some  days  after,  very  much  mystified  as 
to  his  meaning,  and  questioning  his  authority 
for  saying  so,  the  following  verse  from  God's 
Word  rushed  through  my  mind  with  a  mean- 
ing it  had  never  before  :  "  What  things  soever 
ye  desire,  when  ye  pray  believe  that  ye  receive 
them  and  ye  shall  have  them  "  /  That  is,  believe 
though  it  be  in  total  darkness,  and  light  will 


SERVICE    FOR    THE    MASTER.  153 

surely  come.  Joshua  had  to  take  God's  word 
for  it  that  Jericho  was  his,  and,  in  obedience 
to  His  command,  gave  the  shout  of  victory 
before  there  was  the  least  sign  of  it,  and  then 
the  walls  fell ! 

I  gladly  grasped  the  above-named  promise, 
feeling  assured  that  the  Lord  had  sent  it  for 
my  encouragement,  and  was  greatly  strength- 
ened thereby,  and  upon  returning  home  was 
very  soon  led  out  into  the  Master's  vineyard, 
in  a  most  unexpected  way,  to  labor  in  a  city 
mission  work,  a  work  which  I  hope  never  to 
be  compelled  to  abandon.  It  brought  me 
into  many  scenes  of  the  most  harrowing  dis- 
cription,  and  surely  was  a  work  better  cal- 
culated to  test  my  nervous  strength,  than 
anything  I  could  have  possibly  found.  I 
could  not  have  endured  it  without  God's  sus- 
taining grace ;  neither  could  I  ever  have 
chosen  such  a  work  for  myself.  It  was  clearly 
God's  leading,  and  so  I  followed  on. 

Two  months  ago,  feeling  much  worn  by  the 
many  perplexities  and  anxieties,  inseparable 
from  such  a  work,  I  felt  the  necessity  of  call- 
ing a  little  meeting  of  believing  ones,  for 


154  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

united  prayer  that  I  might  be  strengthened, 
and  fully  equipped  to  do  the  work  which 
pressed  upon  me  on  all  sides,  especially  all 
the  reading  and  writing  I  found  necessary 
day  by  day,  and  which  had  seemed  for  a  time 
more  than  my  brain  could  bear. 

We  also  asked  that,  above  all,  I  might  be 
"endued  with  power  from  on  high."  Six 
friends  united  with  me  in  this  city  at  the  hour 
appointed,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mix,  in  Wol- 
cottville,  Conn.,  and  I  was  "anointed  with  oil 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord,"  according  to  the 
command  in  James  v:  14,  by  an  "elder  of 
the  church '  who  was  present.  All  in  the 
room  felt  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  and  it 
was  an  hour  long  to  be  remembered.  Those 
prayers  were  heard  and  answered  !  Two  days 
after,  I  was  called  very  suddenly  to  scenes  of 
the  most  trying  description,  and  of  the  most 
unexpected  nature,  where  strength  of  mind 
and  body  were  fully  tested.  My  friends  agree 
with  me  that  I  was  led  of  the  Spirit  to  call 
the  prayer-meeting  just  when  I  did,  and  that 
I  was  indeed  prepared  by  the  Lord  for  all  the 
difficult  work  which  immediately  followed. 


SERVICE    FOR    THE    MASTER.  155 

I  am  well  aware  how  this  statement  will  be 
received  by  the  incredulous  world,  and  by 
many  earnest  followers  of  the  Master  to  where, 
the  subject  is  a  new  one  ;  but  to  the  latter  1 
would  say,  take  your  Bible  and  prayerfully 
read  the  many  precious  promises  given  to  His 
believing  children.  Bear  in  mind  that  they 
are  all  conditional.  It  is  always  u  according  to 
\\-\y  faith  be  it  unto  thee."  Just  think  for  one 
moment  what  Jesus  said  to  the  distracted 
father  who  brought  to  Him  his  son  who  was 
vexed  with  a  devil :  "  If  thou  canst  believe,  all 
things  are  possible  to  him  that  believeth  "  /  Is 
not  the  magnitude  of  that  promise  almost 
overwhelming?  Is  it  not  boundless?  And 
does  it  not  mean  any  man,  woman  or  child 
who  lived  then,  who  lives  now,  or  who  may 
live  in  the  future,  who  truly  believes?  Does 
He  not  invite  and  persuade  us  to  test  His 
faithfulness  and  His  almighty  power?  And 
we  need  not  fear  to  bring  every  little  need  of 
soul  and  body  to  Him,  for  He  says,  "  My  God 
shall  supply  all  your  need,"  and  "Whatsoever 
ye  shall  ask  the  Father  in  My  name,  He  will 
give  it  you."  Our  bodily  needs  are  often  very 


156  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

imperative,  often  entirely  beyond  the  reach  of 
human  aid.  Then  why  not  carry  them  to 
Jesus,  who  has  "  all  power  in  heaven  and  on 
earth  "?  It  is  so  sweet,  so  comforting  to  feel 
that  we  have  a  loving  Father  Who  notes  even 
the  tiny  sparrow's  fall,  and  Who  assures  us  that 
u'e  "are  of  more  value  than  many  sparrows," 

In  giving  us  His  only  Son  to  die  the  shame- 
ful death  of  the  cross,  He  has  proved  ;'  the 
great  love  wherewith  He  hath  loved  us,"  and 
that  we  are  indeed  precious  in  His  sight.  He 
loves  to  give  good  gifts  to  His  children  more 
than  the  tenderest  earthly  parent  can,  and 
therefore  I  think  we  have  every  encouragement 
to  come  and  bring  all  our  needs,  small  and 
great,  before  Him,  claiming  the  promise  that 
"  no  good  thing  will  He  withhold  from  them 
that  walk  uprightly." 

An  unbelieving  relative,  to  whom  I  related 
a  wonderful  instance  of  immediate  relief,  in 
answer  to  my  prayer,  from  a  very  painful 
malady  with  which  I  was  attacked  at  one 
time,  since  my  recovery,  said,  after  critically 
listening  to  the  recital,  "Well,  a  few/rfa^r  are 
worth  a  great  many  surmises ! '  And  so  I 


SERVICE    FOR    THE    MASTER.  157 

feel  that  the  large  number  of  facts  which  have 
been  ascertained  within  the  past  fifteen  years 
with  regard  to  the  healing  of  all  manner  of 
disease,  chronic  and  acute,  in  answer  to  the 
prayer  of  faith,  are  sufficient  to  convince  any 
candid  inquirer  who  will  investigate  the  sub- 
ject with  a  sincere  desire  to  be  guided  into  all 
truth.  It  is  a  lack  of  knowledge,  as  well  as  a 
sad  lack  of  faith,  which  makes  the  Christian 
Church  so  slow  to  receive  the  testimony  of 
those  who  have  been  healed  by  coming  to 
Jesus  as  did  the  suffering  ones  of  old.  Our 
Saviour  promises  to  manifest  Himself  unto 
His  faithful  followers  as  He  would  not  to  the 
world.  Therefore  how  dare  any  man  say  that 
these  things,  related  in  many  instances  by 
persons  justly  eminent  for  their  devoted,  holy 
lives,  are  not  trite,  simply  because  he  in  his 
darkness  and  unbelief  has  not  been  similarly 
blest  ? 

It  is  our  privilege  to  trust  Jesus  as  a  perfect 
Saviour,  "able  to  save,  to  the  uttermost,  all 
who  come  unto  God  by  Him,"  and,  dear 
reader,  just  as  willing  as  He  is  able.  He  is 
able  to  save  us  daily  and  hourly  from  every 


JC8  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

known  sin,  because  "Whosoever  abideth  in 
Him  sinneth  not."  -i  John  iii :  6.  He  is 
able  to  cleanse  our  hearts  from  all  unclean- 
ness.  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  His  Son, 
cleanseth  us  from  all  sin ;  '  and  more  than 
that,  He  is  able  to  keep  our  hearts  as  pure  and 
fit  temples  for  the  indwelling  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  The  Bible  says,  "  Without  holiness  no 
man  shall  see  God  ;"  and  again,  "Without  faith 
it  is  impossible  to  please  God."  A  life  of 
holiness  is  attained  only  by  faith,  and  faith  is 
the  gift  of  God ;  one  cf  those  "  best  gifts" 
which  St.  Paul  begs  us  to  "covet  earnestly." 
Every  faculty  of  the  mind,  as  well  as  every 
muscle  of  the  body,  strengthens  by  use. 
Therefore  let  us  exercise  what  faith  we  have, 
and  pray  for  more.  The  men  and  women 
whom  I  have  met  who  have  been  led  to  look 
to  Jesus  for  restoration  to  health,  are,  without 
exception,  leading  devout  and  holy  lives,  and 
thus  realize  the  fulfilment  of  the  promises 
given  to  all  who  abide  in  Christ,  and  know,  as 
does  the  writer,  the  blessedness  of  being 
''  dead  unto  sin  and  alive  unto  righteousness." 
Let  us  surrender  ourselves  wholly  to  the 


SERVICE    FOR    THE    MASTER.  159 

Lord.  His  Word  says,  "Bring  ye  all  the  tithes 
into  the  store-house  that  I  may  have  meat  in 
my  house,  saith  the  Lord  ;  and  prove  me  now 
herewith,  if  I  will  not  open  you  the  windows 
of  heaven  and  pour  you  out  a  blessing  that 
there  shall  not  be  room  enough  to  receive 
it."  Let  us  accept  this  challenge,  lay  our- 
selves upon  the  Altar  and  receive  this  won- 
dous  blessing,  and  we  shall  find  Him  sufficient 
for  every  need  of  soul  and  body.  For  my- 
self, I  feel  to  say  that  God,  helping  me, 
"  Christ  shall  be  magnified  in  my  body, 
whether  it  be  by  life  or  by  death." 

ANNA  W.  PROSSER. 


l6o  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH, 


CHAPTER    XII. 

THE    TRUE    CHURCH    MILITANT. 

OUTPOURINGS  of  praise,  such  as  those  re- 
corded in  the  testimonies  given  in  this  book, 
are  going  up  every  moment,  from  increasing 
multitudes  of  God's  children,  who  are  finding 
in  their  loving,  tender  Shepherd,  "  an  ever- 
present  help  "  in  time  of  all  trouble.  In  their 
wonderful  experience  of  the  richness  of  His 
mercy,  of  the  faithfulness  of  His  care,  over 
all  their  smallest  needs,  there  arise  great 
yearnings  that  other  Christians  may  under- 
stand His  boundless  love,  and  praise  Him  by 
proving  His  every  promise.  O,  the  blessed- 
ness of  "  casting  all  our  care  upon  Him,"  Who 
careth  for  us,  can  never  be  told.  If  every  one 

'  * 

would  obey  the  command :  "  Be  careful  for 
nothing;  but  in  everything,  by  prayer  and 
supplication  with  thanksgiving,  let  your  re- 
quests be  made  known  unto  God,"  there 
would  be  no  troubled  hearts  or  care-worn 
brows,  and  only  "  the  peace  which  passeth  all 


THE    TRUE    CHURCH    MILITANT.  l6l 

understanding,"  would  shine  from  faces  alight 
with  the  joy  of  the  Lord.  In  the  one  hun- 
dred and  seventh  Psalm,  David  enumerates 
God's  full  and  blessed  answers  to  the  prayers 
of  travelers,  of  captives,  of  sick  persons,  of 
seamen  and  of  husbandmen,  and  exclaims 
again  and  again  in  wondering  adoration,  "  Oh, 
that  men  would  praise  the  Lord  for  His  good- 
ness and  for.  His  wonderful  works  to  the  chil- 
dren of  men  !  ' 

And,  after  summing  up  God's  manifold  prov- 
idences in  answer  to  the  prayers  of  those  who 
cry  to  Him  in  their  trouble,  and  showing,  by 
many  illustrations,  how  "He  bringeth  them 
out  of  their  distresses,"  the  Psalmist  concludes 
with  these  comforting  words  :  '  Whoso  is  wise 
and  will  observe  these  things,  even  they  shalJ 
understand  the  loving  kindness  of  the  Lord." 

O,  I  beg  those  who  have  never  "  observed 
these  things"  before,  to  make  haste  to  do  so, 
that  they  may  understand  how  excellent  is  the 
loving  kindness  of  Jehovah,  and  how  His 
"faithfulness  reacheth  unto  the  clouds." 

Filled  then  with  the  praises  of  our  Lord, 
and  lost  in  His  love,  we  shall  all  be  one  in 


l62  THE    PRAYER    OF    FAITH. 

Him ;  we  shall  "  be  planted  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord"  and  "shall  flourish  in  the  courts  of 
our  God."  One  of  the  most  beautiful  things 
in  this  life  of  faith,  and  utter  dependence  on 
our  Father,  is  that  all  who  come  into  it  learn 
to  recognize  their  fellow-Christians  in  the 
"unity  of  the  faith."  -Eph.  iv  :  13.  A  gentle- 
man said  to  me  not  long  ago  :  "  I  believe  that 
the  Church  of  the  present  time  is  in  ruins. 
Christians  nowadays  are  Methodists,  Presby- 
terians, Baptists,  Episcopalians,  etc.,  and  they 
are  not  united  as  the  Church  of  Christ." 

But,  in  the  midst  of  that  seeming  division, 
there  stands  one  glorious,  triumphant  body, 
composed  of  the  faithful  of  all  denominations, 
who  know  "one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism, 
one  God  and  Father  of  all "  (Eph.  iv  :  5,  6), 
and  who  "  have  been  all  made  to  drink  into 
one  Spirit." — i  Cor.  xii :  13. 

These  "fitly  joined  together'5  in  love  "are 
the  body  of  Christ,  and  members  in  particu- 
lar; 'these  are  the  true  "  Church  Militant ;' 
the  "  armies  of  the  living  God '  who  are 
"strong  in  the  Lord  and  in  the  power  of  His 
\night."  Among  themselves  they  "  keep  the 
unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace ;  "  but 


THE    TRUE    CHURCH    MILITANT.  163 

with  the  enemy  of  souls  they  are  fighting  "  the 
good  fight  of  faith."  They  have  "put  on  the 
whole  armour  of  God,"  that  they  "may  be 
able  to  stand  against  the  wiles  of  the  devil.'' 

"  Stand,  therefore,  having  your  loins  girt 
about  with  truth,  and  having  on  the  breast- 
plate of  righteouness ;  and  your  feet  shod 
with  the  preparation  of  the  gospel  of  peace ; 
above  all,  taking  the  shield  of  faith,  where- 
with ye  shall  be  able  to  quench  all  the  fiery 
darts  of  the  wicked.  And  take  the  helmet  of 
salvation,  and  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which 
is  the  word  of  God." — Eph.  vi  :  14-17. 

'  Watch  ye,  stand  fast  in  the  faith,  quit  you 
like  men,  be  strong." — i  Cor.  xvi :  13.  "And 
the  multitudes  of  them  that  believed  were  of 
one  heart  and  of  one  soul." — Acts  iv  :  32. 

My  dear  friends,  let  us  breathe  a  prayer 
together  before  we  part:  "And  now,  Lord 
*  *  *  grant  unto  thy  servants,  that  with  all 
boldness  they  may  speak  Thy  word,  by  stretch- 
ing forth  Thine  hand  to  heal /  and  that  signs 
and  wonders  may  be  done  by  the  Name  of 
holy  child  fesus." — Acts  iv  :  29,  30. 

THE    END. 


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